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This bill — the PAWS for Veterans Act — would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a pilot program on dog training therapy for wounded veterans. Qualifying veterans would receive vouchers to take to any service dog organization of their choosing.

To carry out this bill, the VA would partner with nonprofit organizations working with veterans and service dogs to create work-therapy programs for veterans to learn how to train dogs. Upon completion of the program, veterans would be able to adopt their dogs to provide continuing therapy.

To be eligible for grants under this bill, nonprofits would have to:

Provide service dogs to veterans with PTSD;
Meet the national standard of the Association of Service Dog Providers for Military Veterans;
Have expertise in the needs of veterans with PTSD;
Agree to cover the costs associated with providing services if they exceed the grant amount; and
Agree to re-accept or replace any service dog provided to a veteran using the grant.

This bill’s full title is the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act.

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Should the VA Fund a Dog Training Therapy Pilot Program for Wounded Vets?