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Service Dogs for Veterans program demonstrates trained dog, describes training, costs and outcomes
Summary
At a public meeting, Bill Brightman of Service Dogs for Veterans described an eight-month training program that uses mostly rescue dogs and heavily involves veterans in training. Veteran Joe Kelly spoke about improvements in daily functioning after graduating with his dog, Shiloh.
Bill Brightman of Service Dogs for Veterans told meeting attendees that his Greenville-based nonprofit trains service dogs for veterans and that the program is intentionally veteran-led.
The presentation outlined the program’s structure and cost: veterans attend an eight-month course in which they and their dogs train together weekly and do daily homework. Brightman said the organization’s per-team cost is about $8,500, compared with roughly $30,000 for fully professional programs that train dogs without veteran involvement.
Brightman described the program’s emphasis on practical tasks and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. “Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, we have to go further than that,” he said, explaining that service dogs must perform specific tasks that mitigate a handler’s disability. He demonstrated common tasks including “heal,” “eyes,” “cover” and “block,” and explained how those behaviors can ground a veteran during episodes of anxiety.
Joe Kelly, a Navy veteran who completed the program with a rescue dog named Shiloh, described changes in his life since training. “Before I met Shiloh, my life consisted of working out my fingers, because that’s all I did,” Kelly said. After training, he told the group he reduced or stopped many medications and increased activity, describing the dog as an “early warning system” for rising anxiety.
Brightman said the nonprofit has graduated about 80 service-dog teams and about 60 companion-dog teams and currently averages 30 to 40 veterans and dogs in class. He said most dogs are rescues and that the program’s model—where veterans perform about 70%–80% of training work at home—keeps costs lower.
On benefits and limitations, Brightman and Kelly stressed that dogs are not cures. “These dogs don’t cure PTSD or anxiety. They’re an early warning system,” Kelly said. Brightman added that the program also educates veterans about their rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Attendees asked whether the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs covers dog-related costs; Brightman replied that some VA programs may help with food and veterinary bills but that qualification is “extremely hard.” He also said the organization accepts veterans from beyond the immediate area and sets a general two-hour travel radius for weekly classes, with exceptions for particularly committed participants.
Brightman invited questions and distributed informational pamphlets at the conclusion of the presentation. Meeting organizers thanked the presenters and the participant who brought Shiloh for the demonstration.
