Question Period Note: SERVICE DOGS

• The Government recognizes that there is great interest in using service dogs to assist Veterans with physical and mental health conditions.
• In June 2022, the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs released their report “Incorporating Service Dogs into the Rehabilitation Program of Veterans Affairs Canada”. Among the Committee’s recommendations, Veterans Affairs Canada was asked to take into consideration the work currently underway in a five-year service dog training pilot program by the United States Veterans Administration, once a national standard is in place in Canada.
• The Department continues to review and monitor emerging research and evidence with respect to the use of psychiatric service dogs including any future change in policy direction by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Efforts to develop a nationally recognized Canadian standard for service dogs were not successful as a national consensus could not be reached.
• The Government expanded the Medical Expense Tax Credit in 2018 through which expenses for specially trained service animals may be claimed.
• This tax credit is available for eligible Canadians, including Veterans.

The Department’s goal is to provide Veterans access to evidence-based, safe and effective health benefits. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of these psychiatric service dogs as a mental health treatment.
VAC continues to review and monitor its approach regarding psychiatric service dogs. The Department is always looking at ways to improve its support for Veterans based on available evidence.
Veterans Affairs Canada:
In 2015 the Department funded a pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of psychiatric service dogs for Veterans with PTSD. While 31 Veterans were recruited, only 18 Veteran participants completed the pilot study over the course of an 18-month period. The findings of this study were limited.
In 2019, the Department provided funding through the Veteran Family and Well-being Fund to Wounded Warriors Canada to support their development of a PTSD service dog certification program.
United States Veterans Affairs:
VAC is interested in the United States PAWS pilot (Puppies Assisting Wounded Service members) announced in August 2021 which was approved and funded by Congress. The pilot program began in late Summer 2022 and is being conducted over a 5-year period administered through five US Veterans Affairs (USVA) medical centre sites. USVA has put together a service dog training model, which will have Veterans engage in both basic obedience and other training of a dog, so the dog may become a service dog for another individual.
VAC has consulted with the USVA about their research and policy direction to inform what may be done in Canada. VAC continues to review emerging research to determine its approach in regard to psychiatric service dogs, including any change in policy direction by the USVA. VAC will review findings and best practices from the study and will determine if there is applicability for VAC in the Canadian context.
Australia’s Rehabilitation Appliances Program:
While Australia’s Department of Veterans Affairs began a 4-year study of service dogs and Veterans with PTSD in 2019, it decided not to wait for the results. In 2022, DVA Australia began providing psychiatric service dogs to carefully screened Veterans with PTSD under its Psychiatric Assistance Dog Program to help meet their clinical recovery goals. VAC will monitor with interest the outcomes of Australia’s adopted practice to provide psychiatric service dogs to eligible Veterans with PTSD.

Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs:
In June 2022, the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs (ACVA) tabled its report “Incorporating Service Dogs Into the Rehabilitation Program of Veterans Affairs Canada (publications.gc.ca)”. Six recommendations request the involvement of VAC or the Government of Canada. VAC provided the Government Response which was tabled in October 2022.
Other activity involving the Department:
In late 2024, a petition related to service dogs was introduced in the House of Commons. Petition e-4950, presented by Elizabeth May on October 28, 2024, relates to OSI/PTSD service dogs and called on the Department to provide critical funding in a timely manner to those vulnerable Veterans with service dogs. VAC tabled a Government Response on December 11, 2024.
A second petition, e-5277, presented by then Member of Parliament, Rachel Blaney, supported the adoption of Private Members Bill C-417 which sought to have the Minister develop and implement a framework for assistance animals for Veterans with disabilities. The Bill had received first reading on November 5, 2024, prior to Parliament being prorogued on January 6, 2025.

QUICK FACTS & FIGURES
• Veterans Affairs Canada provides support for a variety of mental health treatments for a range of mental health conditions. Our treatment benefits do not consider psychiatric service dogs to be a recognized mental health treatment.
• While emotional support animals, including emotional support dogs, may provide beneficial companionship to owners, VAC does not fund expenses for these animals.