Thanks to Canine Companions advocates like you, long awaited legislation that will positively impact veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was signed into law by President Biden today.
Learn more about grassroots advocacy and how to use your voice to have real impact by attending our Grassroots Advocacy 101 webinar on Thursday, September 9. Learn more and register here.
President Biden signed H.R. 1448, the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veterans Therapy Act. The act allows the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide service dogs and provisions for their care to assist veterans with PTSD. According to the VA Suicide Prevention Annual Report, nearly 18 service members take their own lives each day as a result of these internal scars.
Canine Companions partnered with the VA to provide service dogs in a four-year study on the efficacy of trained service dogs for PTSD. We placed a total of 59 service dogs and 40 emotional support dogs with study veterans, totaling 45% of all dogs placed through the study. The results were staggering - veterans paired with service dogs showed less suicidal ideation and more improvement in mental health than those paired with emotional support dogs.
The results of the previous study laid the groundwork for future legislation – like H.R. 1448 – to further assist veterans utilizing service dogs to mitigate symptoms of PTSD.
- The VA now has the authority to use trained service dogs as a treatment option for veterans with PTSD – an option that was not available despite the profound results of the previous study.
- The act will allow veterans with PTSD and other mental health diagnoses to be eligible for VA service dog veterinary insurance benefits, which also covers equipment and travel expenses associated with service dog ownership.
For service members relying on a task-trained service dogs for PTSD, H.R. 1448 is a giant leap towards supporting veterans and their service dogs in an equitable way.
Thank you for your commitment to veterans and access to service dogs. Your voice matters! Subscribe to Canine Companions advocacy updates.
Thank you,
Jeanine Konopelski
Vice President Marketing and Advocacy
Canine Companions