1. Pierce County’s Soldiers Home Campus Therapeutic Service Dogs Program
And
Research Demonstrating Their Significant Benefits
Therapeutic service dogs have emerged as a valuable member of our wounded warriors
support team as they face their new mission; a successful healthy quality of life post combat
and wounding.
A growing body of research demonstrates the significant benefits highly trained therapeutic
service dogs can provide to Veterans compensating and managing war injuries. These injuries
can lead to physical and psychological impairments that become barriers to successful
community reintegration as well as healthy personal relationships. The Veterans Administration
is currently conducting formal studies on these benefits with the University of Maryland and
does not pay for service dogs.
The United is entering its eleventh year in the Global War on Terror. The Puget Sound region is
a hub for deployments, training and discharge from the military because of major military and
Veteran Administration facilities located in the community. Additionally over 50% of the combat
troops are comprised of National Guard and Reserve Units. Washington State’s 3,000 member
81st Heavy Armor Brigade will depart for its third combat deployment this spring.
Physician Ordered and Highly Studies from Rand Corporation Defense Department and
Trained Work Team experience indicate that of the 2 million service members who have
As important as insulin is to a deployed for war over 19% may have a probable traumatic brain
diabetic or a heart pump to a injury and about 20% may have PTSD. A growing numbers of
cardiac patient a highly these injured Veterans are finding valuable assistance in treatment
trained therapeutic service plans that include the use of highly trained and matched service
dog is ordered by a Veteran’s dogs
physician to
improve their health, Physician Ordered and Highly Trained Work Team
rehabilitation and daily life Therapeutic service dogs are a highly trained working animal that can
perform a minimum of three tasks specific to the injuries and needs of
their wounded warrior.
To increase access to therapeutic service dogs the Washington State Department of Veteran
affairs has entered into a partnership with Brigadoon Service Dogs Veterans Program,
Canines and Hero’s for Independence (CHI), a tax exempt nonprofit organization specializing
in the training and matching of therapeutic service dogs to wounded warriors without costs
In spring 2012 a Therapeutic Service Dog Training and Care Center will open at the Orting
Soldiers Home campus concurrently with a puppy raising program at Cedar Creek Prison.
Below is a list of abstracts provided by the Delta Society on the benefits of animals and service
dog ownership.

2. Abstracts
Research Demonstrating Significant Benefits of Animal and Dog Ownership/Therapy
1. Dogs: A Potential Public Health Role to Improve Health and Well-Being . Upton, V. The SCAS Journal, 2005
Autumn; 17(3):2-5.
2. Relation Between Pet Ownership and Heart Rate Variability in Patients with Healed Myocardial Infarcts .
Friedmann, E., Thomas S.A., Stein, P.K., Kleiger, R.E. Am J Cardiol. 2003 Mar 15; 91(6):718-21.
3. Lung Transplant Recipients Holding Companion Animals: Impact on Physical Health and Quality of LIfe, S.
Irani, C. Mahler, L. Goetzmann, EW Russi, and A. Boehler - New! on July 12, 2006
4. Pet Attachment and Personality Type, D. Bagley and V. Gonsman - New! on July 12, 2006
5. Effect of Petting a Dog on Immune System Function, C.J. Charnetski; S. Riggers; F.X. Brennan - New! on
July 31, 2006
6. Spouses and Cats and Their Effects on Human Mood, D. Turner, G. Rieger, and L. Gygax - New! on July 12,
2006
7. Dog Ownership and Control of Borderline Hypertension: A Controlled Randomized Trial. K. Allen.
8. Pet Ownership, But Not ACE Inhibitor Therapy Blunts Home Blood Pressure Response to Mental Stress. K.
Allen, J.L. Izzo, and B.E. Shykoff.
9. Dogs as Catalysts for Social Interactions: Robustness of the Effect. J. McNicholas and G.M. Collis.
10. AIDS Diagnosis and Depression in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study: The Ameliorating Impact of Pet
Ownership. J.M. Siegel, F.J. Angulo, R. Detels, J. Wesch, and A. Mullen.
11. Social Support and Resting Blood Pressure Among Young and Elderly Women: The Moderating Role of Pet
Dogs and Cats. K. Allen, A. Gross, and J. Izzo, Jr.
12. Anger and Hostility Among Married Couples: Pet Dogs as Moderators of Cardiovascular Reactivity Stress.
K. Allen and J. Blascovich.
13. Animals and Cardiovascular Health, G.L. Jennings.
14. Loneliness and Pet Ownership Among Single Women. R.L. Zasloff and A.H. Kidd.
15. The Role of Pets in the Support Networks of People Recovering from Breast Cancer. June McNicholas,
Glyn M. Collis, Chris Kent
16. Physiological Effects of the Use of a Companion Animal Dog as a Cue to Relaxation in Diagnosed
Hypertensives. Sue Todd Schuelke, et al.
17. What You Already Knew - Fluffy & Fido Are Good for You. Maria Kale.
For more information contact WDVA Program Managers,
Donald Lachman donaldl@dva.wa.gov or Ray Switzer Ray@dva.wa.gov