4 months ago
(USATODAY) -- A pilot program to get disabled military veterans about 200 service dogs and study the impact -- passed the Senate Thursday as part of the 2010 defense authorization bill. The defense bill now awaits President Obama's signature.
The program is the brainchild of U.S. Sen. Al Franken (R- Minn.) and includes a multi-year study to determine the cost and benefits of the companion animals.
Franken wrote about why he deems this to be an important step in the Minneapolis Star Tribune in June:
''This January, I met Luis Carlos Montalvan and his service dog named Tuesday, a beautiful golden retriever, at an inaugural event in Washington.
Luis had been an intelligence officer in Iraq, rooting out corruption in Anbar Province. In 2005, Capt. Montalvan was the target of an assassination attempt. Now he walks with a cane and suffers from severe post-traumatic stress disorder.
Luis explained that he couldn't have made it to the inauguration if it weren't for his dog.
As someone who's spent time with our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan on USO tours and met wounded warriors at Walter Reed and Bethesda, I feel a deep obligation to the men and women who have risked life and limb on our behalf.
After I met Luis, I did some research. Service dogs like Tuesday can be of immense benefit to vets suffering from physical and emotional wounds. Yes, they provide companionship. But they can also detect changes in a person's breathing, perspiration or scent to anticipate and ward off an impending panic attack with some well-timed nuzzling. They are trained to let their masters know when it's time to take their medication and to wake them from terrifying nightmare.''
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