Va Service Dogs?

[Guest rickb54]

Does anyone know if the va will provide a service dog to hearing or wheelchair veterans? If so under what criteria, or regulation is the dog provided? I can't find anything on the subject that provides any meanful information, any aid would be appreciated.

[Guest jstacy]

Rick, try this site out for service dogs.

I hope it helps.

http://sdog.danawheels.net/

[admiral7]

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Have to search thomas.gov to see how this Bill fared in Congress!! ~Wings

STATEMENT OF

ANTHONY J. PRINCIPI

SECRETARY

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

ON PROPOSED LEGISLATION

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITEE ON HEALTH

COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 6, 2001

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:cD2P6l...t=clnk&cd=9

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:

I am pleased to be here this morning to comment on H. R. 2792, the "Disabled Veterans Service Dog and Health Care Improvement Act of 2001.'' If enacted, this bill would authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make service dogs available to disabled veterans and to make various other changes in health care benefits provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This morning I would like to briefly summarize the various sections of the bill, and provide VA's views of these sections.

Section 2 - Service Dogs

The bill would amend the existing law to expand VA's authority to provide guide dogs to blind veterans. Current law limits the provision of guide dogs to blind veterans who are entitled to disability compensation. The bill removes that limitation and would authorize VA to provide service dogs to veterans who are hearing impaired or who have spinal cord injury or dysfunction or other chronic impairment that substantially limits mobility.

Service dogs can assist a disabled person in his or her daily life and can assist that person during medical emergencies. They can be trained in many tasks, including, but not limited to, pulling a wheelchair, carrying a back-pack, opening and closing doors, helping with dressing and undressing, retrieving dropped items, picking up the telephone, and hitting a distress button on the telephone. Some service dogs can perceive when the disabled individual is in distress and can find help. Dogs can also assist the hearing impaired by alerting them to doorbells, ringing phones, smoke detectors, crying babies, and emergency sirens on vehicles.

The existing statutory authority allows VA to pay for certain travel and incidental expenses incurred by veterans while adjusting to seeing-eye or guide dogs. The bill would amend the language to allow VA to pay these expenses for all guide dogs or service dogs covered by this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, the benefit of guide dogs for the blind is well known, and we support having authority to also provide service dogs for veterans who are hearing impaired and who have spinal cord injuries or other chronic impairments, and to pay for certain costs associated with adjusting to the dogs. However, we believe the provision of guide dogs and service dogs should continue to be limited to veterans who are entitled to service-connected compensation. If this provision becomes law, we would promulgate prescription criteria and guidelines to insure that we provide dogs only to those veterans who can most benefit from them.

.

this is from Thomas:

NEW SEARCH | HOME | HELP | ABOUT STATUS

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H.R.2792

Title: To permit an individual to be treated by a health care practitioner with any method of medical treatment such individual requests, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Burton, Dan [iN-5] (introduced 6/8/2005) Cosponsors (12)

Related Bills: S.2618

Latest Major Action: 6/17/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ALL ACTIONS:

6/8/2005:

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

6/17/2005:

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

[BoonDoc]

Rick, try this site out for service dogs.

I hope it helps.

http://sdog.danawheels.net/

I think for the agoraphobia that I have a little dog would help me with or without being trained.

I know those who have more severe physical disabilities would need one trained to do specific things, but I bet a lovable little dog would help many of us who are disabled, and many at home alone for long periods of time would benefit greatly.

I wonder how much trouble businesses would give you when bringing a little dog in the store with you if you are one of the invisable disabilities?

BoonDoc

[Pete53]

Rick:

My dogs are golden retrievers and I trained them. Sasha goes out and fetches our paper, goes to grocery store and helps bring in packages but most of all she stays right by me. She is laying next to me as I type. I pretty much trained her and she is gentle and has never bitten but will bark when someone approaches me until I tell her quiet.

Boon Doc you can Google Service Dogs but as I understand it its your right to have a dog with you if needed. You can buy little banners that say service dog please do not pet online. I think it is Federal Regulations that allow service dogs to accompany you.

Anyway there is just something that comforts me knowing my dog is with me. My oldest son told me that I love my dogs more than my kids and I replied nope I love my Grand Daughters and my dogs more than my kids. I was joking of course.

If you are alone a dog is a great comfort in my opinion.