ArcaMax

Galmiche says he sometimes thinks about a friend also diagnosed with PTSD who committed suicide. "If he'd had a (service) dog, maybe he would be alive today," Ray says. "I wish the VA would have suggested a dog years ago. I don't know what would have happened to me if it wasn't for Dazzle." Galmiche adds that it's not too melodramatic to say that the service dog saved his life.

Galmiche is hardly alone. The stats are nearly overwhelming: There are 400,000 ex-soldiers currently in treatment for PTSD, according to the VA (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs), and among that population, rates of divorce, substance abuse and unemployment exceed those in the general population. Their suicide rate is off the map, with 32 to 39 attempts daily and about half that many succeeding.

Anecdotal evidence suggests a service dog dramatically lowers the suicide rate, even divorce numbers and chances of substance abuse among veterans with PTSD. With a four-legged partner, veterans don't require as many (if any) drugs for symptoms related to PTSD. And veterans are able to find jobs. Most importantly, all this improves quality of life for veterans.There's a significant savings to taxpayers.

Aware of this evidence, some members of Congress tasked the VA to demonstrate scientifically the effectiveness of pairing veterans with PTSD and their families with service dogs. Fewer than two dozen dogs were enrolled in the study (nowhere near the 230 dogs recommended for the research).

Recently, the study was abruptly suspended because of reported dog bites and a health problem with one dog, leaving members of Congress and organizations that train PTSD service dogs mystified. What's more, the VA announced recently that it will no longer support service dogs paired with veterans diagnosed with PTSD (and instead only support dogs partnered with veterans with visible disabilities).

There's little doubt more scientific study would be helpful. Meanwhile, as Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) pointed out in an email to this reporter, as the wars wind down, more soldiers are returning home diagnosed with PSTD than ever before.

To ignore an option that's clearly helpful to many soldiers is, in fact, at odds with the VA's own mission: "To serve America's veterans and their families with dignity and compassion and to be their principal advocate in ensuring that they receive the care, support, and recognition earned in service to this Nation."

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Steve Dale welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can't answer all of them individually, he'll answer those of general interest in his column Send e-mail to PETWORLD(at)STEVE DALE.TV. Include your name, city and state. Steve's website is www.stevedalepetworld.com; he also hosts the nationally syndicated "Steve Dale's Pet World" and "The Pet Minute." He's also a contributing editor to USA Weekend.

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