Service Animals for Veterans in Georgia: A Guide to VA Guidance

Veterans in Georgia and Uses of

Veterans in Georgia and Uses of

Service Animals and Emotional

Service Animals and Emotional

Support Animals

Support Animals

A Presentation to the Senate Study Committee on Service Animals for Physically or

A Presentation to the Senate Study Committee on Service Animals for Physically or

Mentally Impaired Persons

Mentally Impaired Persons

Mike Roby

Mike Roby

Commissioner of Veterans Service

Commissioner of Veterans Service

2



VA guidance considers:

VA guidance considers:



Guide dogs

Guide dogs

: TRAINED to assist the blind

: TRAINED to assist the blind



Service animals

Service animals

: TRAINED to help those with severe to profound hearing loss by

: TRAINED to help those with severe to profound hearing loss by

alerting the individual to a variety of sounds, or someone with a physical impairment

alerting the individual to a variety of sounds, or someone with a physical impairment

that substantially limits mobility by assisting the performance of a wide variety of

that substantially limits mobility by assisting the performance of a wide variety of

tasks depending on need and training, e.g., opening doors, retrieving, etc.

tasks depending on need and training, e.g., opening doors, retrieving, etc.



Emotional support animals

Emotional support animals

: protect someone, give emotional support or be a

: protect someone, give emotional support or be a

companion – 

companion – 

DO NOT QUALIFY AS SERVICE ANIMALS

DO NOT QUALIFY AS SERVICE ANIMALS



For purposes of service animals, 

For purposes of service animals, 

the VA defines a disability 

the VA defines a disability 

to mean a

to mean a

physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major

physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major

life activities of an individual

life activities of an individual



There must be a 

There must be a 

record of such impairment

record of such impairment

, or

, or



The individual is 

The individual is 

regarded as having such an impairment

regarded as having such an impairment

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

VA guidance (Cont’d):

VA guidance (Cont’d):



The VA will approve the veteran receiving the use of guide dogs and service

The VA will approve the veteran receiving the use of guide dogs and service

animals after the veteran is evaluated and approved by a prescribing clinician

animals after the veteran is evaluated and approved by a prescribing clinician

for

for



The ability and means, including family or caregiver, to care for the animal currently and

The ability and means, including family or caregiver, to care for the animal currently and

in the future

in the future



Goals that are to be accomplished through the use of the animal

Goals that are to be accomplished through the use of the animal



Goals that are to be accomplished through other assistive technologies or therapies

Goals that are to be accomplished through other assistive technologies or therapies



The VA does not provide the animals

The VA does not provide the animals



Veterans approved for animals by the VA are referred to 

Veterans approved for animals by the VA are referred to 

Assistance Dogs International –

Assistance Dogs International –

accredited agencies

accredited agencies



There is no charge by the VA for the animal or the associated training

There is no charge by the VA for the animal or the associated training

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

VA guidance (Cont’d):

VA guidance (Cont’d):



VA pays for veterinary care and equipment, e.g., harness and/or backpack,

VA pays for veterinary care and equipment, e.g., harness and/or backpack,

required for optimal use of the animal

required for optimal use of the animal



Veterinary care includes prescribed medications, office visits for medical procedures and

Veterinary care includes prescribed medications, office visits for medical procedures and

dental procedures where the animal is sedated (one per year)

dental procedures where the animal is sedated (one per year)



Initial vaccinations

Initial vaccinations



Subsequent vaccinations

Subsequent vaccinations



Prescribed food on a case-by-case basis

Prescribed food on a case-by-case basis



Veterinary care does not include OTC medications, food, treats and non-

Veterinary care does not include OTC medications, food, treats and non-

sedated dental care (flea and tick medications are considered OTC and are the

sedated dental care (flea and tick medications are considered OTC and are the

responsibility of the veteran)

responsibility of the veteran)



Grooming, boarding and other routine expenses are not covered

Grooming, boarding and other routine expenses are not covered

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

The VA does not issue or require certificates of training or licensing

The VA does not issue or require certificates of training or licensing

related to service animals or emotional support animals

related to service animals or emotional support animals



Service dogs are permitted on VA properties, 

Service dogs are permitted on VA properties, 

except

except

 for National Cemeteries

 for National Cemeteries

to ensure public safety, grounds and facilities care and maintenance control

to ensure public safety, grounds and facilities care and maintenance control

are not compromised. Areas included are:

are not compromised. Areas included are:



Open interment areas, except as approved to observe an individual interment or

Open interment areas, except as approved to observe an individual interment or

inurnment

inurnment



Construction or maintenance sites

Construction or maintenance sites



Grounds keeping and storage facilities

Grounds keeping and storage facilities



Individuals accompanied by service animals while receiving treatment in a VA

Individuals accompanied by service animals while receiving treatment in a VA

medical facility must provide VA with documentation confirming the service

medical facility must provide VA with documentation confirming the service

animals have had a current rabies vaccination as determined by state and

animals have had a current rabies vaccination as determined by state and

local public health requirements and other current core canine vaccines

local public health requirements and other current core canine vaccines

dictated by local veterinary practice standards (e.g., distemper, parvovirus,

dictated by local veterinary practice standards (e.g., distemper, parvovirus,

etc.)

etc.)

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

Generally, animals other than service animals, are not permitted to

Generally, animals other than service animals, are not permitted to

be present on VA property

be present on VA property



EXCEPTION: A VA facility may permit certain “non-service” animals to be

EXCEPTION: A VA facility may permit certain “non-service” animals to be

present on VA property for the following reasons:

present on VA property for the following reasons:



Law enforcement purposes

Law enforcement purposes



Animals under the control of the VA Office of Research and Development

Animals under the control of the VA Office of Research and Development



Animal assisted therapy animals (goal directed – clinician supervised therapy)

Animal assisted therapy animals (goal directed – clinician supervised therapy)



Animal assisted activity animals (

Animal assisted activity animals (

not

not

 goal directed ~ emotional support)

 goal directed ~ emotional support)



Animals participating in a VA Community Living Center (skilled nursing care) residential

Animals participating in a VA Community Living Center (skilled nursing care) residential

animal program or a Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program

animal program or a Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program



Animals may be present at National Cemeteries for ceremonial purposes during

Animals may be present at National Cemeteries for ceremonial purposes during

committal services, interments and other memorials (must not compromise public

committal services, interments and other memorials (must not compromise public

safety, facilities and grounds care and maintenance control standards)

safety, facilities and grounds care and maintenance control standards)

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

The Georgia Department of Veterans Service operates two state war

The Georgia Department of Veterans Service operates two state war

veterans homes and two state veterans cemeteries

veterans homes and two state veterans cemeteries



Generally, the homes and cemeteries follow the VA’s policy regarding

Generally, the homes and cemeteries follow the VA’s policy regarding

animals being present on the properties

animals being present on the properties



Augusta home

Augusta home

: pet therapy program and occasional family pet visitations

: pet therapy program and occasional family pet visitations



Milledgeville home

Milledgeville home

: pet therapy program and occasional family pet visitations

: pet therapy program and occasional family pet visitations



Glennville cemetery

Glennville cemetery

: follow the VA rules

: follow the VA rules



Milledgeville cemetery

Milledgeville cemetery

: follow the VA rules

: follow the VA rules



Neither of the war veterans’ homes currently have any veteran patients

Neither of the war veterans’ homes currently have any veteran patients

using service animals or emotional support animals

using service animals or emotional support animals

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

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ESA LEGISLATION

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ESA LEGISLATION



Make the emotional support requirements identical to or as close as possible to the

Make the emotional support requirements identical to or as close as possible to the

requirements for service animals

requirements for service animals



The individual must have a disability

The individual must have a disability



The animal must be trained to provide a task or service

The animal must be trained to provide a task or service



Use the Deardorff criteria for bona-fide disability diagnosis (outlined in the Wellborn &

Use the Deardorff criteria for bona-fide disability diagnosis (outlined in the Wellborn &

Wallace, LLC presentation to the study committee on August 20, 2018) where a mental

Wallace, LLC presentation to the study committee on August 20, 2018) where a mental

health professional (MHP):

health professional (MHP):



Must support the 

Must support the 

Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 

Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 

(DSM) diagnosis of the

(DSM) diagnosis of the

patient resulting in the disability requiring the emotional support animal (ESM)

patient resulting in the disability requiring the emotional support animal (ESM)



Must show in detail how the ESA helps to ameliorate the disability – related symptoms

Must show in detail how the ESA helps to ameliorate the disability – related symptoms



Must state whether or not the MHP observed the patient interacting with the ESA; if not, must

Must state whether or not the MHP observed the patient interacting with the ESA; if not, must

justify why direct observation was not pursued and how the MHP concluded the results were valid

justify why direct observation was not pursued and how the MHP concluded the results were valid



Must discuss the possible negative effect should the patient not be able to live with the animal or

Must discuss the possible negative effect should the patient not be able to live with the animal or

take it with her/him – the ESA must provide some benefit beyond that experienced by just having

take it with her/him – the ESA must provide some benefit beyond that experienced by just having

a pet

a pet



The MHP should not write a letter unless it can be shown the ESA provides some demonstrable

The MHP should not write a letter unless it can be shown the ESA provides some demonstrable

disability – related benefit(s) to the patient

disability – related benefit(s) to the patient



The MHP should actually be familiar with research on ESA’s (based on credentials; certification

The MHP should actually be familiar with research on ESA’s (based on credentials; certification

statement, etc.)

statement, etc.)