Noteboom The Law Firm

VA’s Policy on Approving Service Dogs is Inconsistent

July 20, 2010 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Inspector General recently reviewed the VA's history in the amount of service dogs they are approving. The inquiry focused on the amount of dogs the VA is approving for those veterans whose lives could be improved by using a service dog. The results of their probe were the VA is not approving enough service dogs.

Over the last 8 years the VA has approved payment for only 8 service dogs. The VA processes requests for service dogs on a case-by-case basis and will only grant payment for service dogs if the requesting veteran suffers from physical or hearing problems. Eight years ago the VA was given the go-ahead to pay, in part, for dogs to help those veterans with:

• Mobility problems;
• Seizure disorders; or
• Other disabilities.

It is possible the VA will begin using more lenient standards when considering veterans' claims for service dogs, but that will not be an immediate change. The VA does not pay for the dog or its training. The VA's money pays for: 

• Veterinary Bills;
• Vaccinations;
• Flea and tick treatments; and
• Food, if the dog is on a medically ordered diet.

The IG report concluded the VA's policy of refusing service dogs until every other option has been exhausted has been unnecessarily denying benefits for veterans whose life could be improved with the use of a service dog. There is no knowing how many veterans the VA could have helped by moving quicker in granting requests, but the IG discovered at least 72 veterans who acquired service dogs from places outside the VA.

Despite the VA attempting to accept more claims for service dogs, their effort seems to be missing the mark. The IG's overall assessment of the VA's policy was that it was inconsistent and repair that policy is absolutely necessary.