VA Service Dog Study Members Speak Out For Its Expansion

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Free Beacon:

Several of those involved in the Veterans Administration’s study of how service dogs can be used to help treat veterans appealed on Thursday to members of Congress to expand the program.

 

The House Military Veterans Caucus heard from members of Canine Companions for Independence as well as a veteran and his personal service dog on the benefits of specially trained service dogs. The group was invited to Capitol Hill by Rep. Mike Thompson (D., Calif.), who supports the pilot program. He said service dogs provide a tremendous benefit to many veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

 

“We must work to make sure that more veterans with post-traumatic stress are able to take advantage of the tremendous benefits service dogs provide,” Thompson said in a press release. “Many thanks to everyone with Canine Companions for Independence for all they do in support of this effort and to help our veterans in need.”

 

Stefan LeRoy, who was severely injured in 2012 while serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan, appeared at the event with his service dog Knoxville. LeRoy lost both his legs below the knee after stepping on an improvised explosive device as he was carrying a fellow injured soldier to a medevac helicopter.

 

He received Knoxville, a two-year-old yellow Labrador/golden retriever mix, as a part of his recovery.