Congressional Unity Healing Heroes and Helping Hounds

Democrats and Republicans seem to argue over everything, but on this, on taking care of veterans, they manage to set aside political differences and do what's right.

Healing Heroes and Helping Hounds
The bond between people and animals is a strong one--and can even be a healing one. Pets are good for our emotional and physical health, and studies show that having a pet can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Caring for a companion animal provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment and lessens feelings of loneliness and isolation in people of all ages.

For wounded warriors and disabled veterans, caring for a pet can help them reenter society and avoid stress or depression. And if the soldier suffered serious injuries while serving our country, a service dog can provide much-needed assistance and critical care.

A bill introduced last year by U.S. Representatives Ron Klein (D-Fla.) and Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) would help place dogs with men and women of the military. H.R. 3266, the Wounded Warrior K-9 Corps Act, would establish a program to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide wounded warriors and disabled veterans with service animals such as physical therapy dogs and guide dogs. The grants will help organizations implement programs that pair assistance dogs with eligible veterans and soldiers who suffer from loss of vision, hearing, or a limb, or a traumatic brain injury, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a number of other injuries. The "commitment of the organization to humane standards for animals" is one of the bill's criteria for receiving a grant.

U.S. Senators Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) introduced similar legislation--S. 1495, the Service Dogs for Veterans Act--to create a pilot program on the use of service dogs for the treatment or rehabilitation of veterans with physical or mental injuries or disabilities.
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Healing Heroes and Helping Hounds