WASHINGTON, June 13, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In honor
of Posttraumatic Stress (PTS) Awareness month, American Humane and
the National Association of Veteran-Serving Organizations (NAVSO)
are proud to announce the first-ever assessment and credentialing
program that protects veterans and their service dogs: "Operation
Service Dog Access." American Humane partnered with NAVSO, the
Schultz Family Foundation, and other experts to create national
standards for service dogs of veterans suffering from posttraumatic
stress and traumatic brain injury (TBI), in addition to a thorough
application and hands-on assessment process for service dogs and
their handlers. This independent, rigorous credentialing program
evaluates the legitimacy of each veteran and service dog pair
through an assessment and public performance evaluation, monitored
by unbiased experts. Each veteran and service dog pair who
successfully completes the assessment receives a credential that is
entered into a nationwide, publicly-accessible database found at
www.servicedogaccess.org.
The credential and Operation Service Dog Access database of each
service dog verified under the program help veterans feel confident
that they can avoid excessive questioning from business owners
about their service dog, and give business owners peace of mind
that they are allowing a legitimate service dog in their place of
business. Furthermore, these new tools reduce potential liability
concerns related to service dog admittance under the Americans with
Disabilities Act.
One in five American veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTS, and thousands of
veterans are affected by TBI, a complex injury that carries a
spectrum of cognitive and communication issues. Trained service
dogs can help veterans navigate the debilitating symptoms of PTS
and TBI, but a nationwide lack of independent service dog standards
and assessments leaves the door open for veterans to train or
obtain a service dog that is ill-suited to mitigate their symptoms
and puts them at risk of discrimination from businesses that are
unaware or unable to verify the legitimacy of a veteran's service
dog.
"American Humane is proud to partner with NAVSO to create
Operation Service Dog Access, the nation's first independent
credentialing program for service dogs," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American
Humane. "By providing veteran and service dog teams with the
program's credential and informing business owners and employees
how to verify the legitimacy of the pair, we hope to improve access
for those with service dogs and reduce the possibility of public
confrontation and discrimination."
"Our nation's veterans with invisible wounds of war and their
medically prescribed service dogs are disproportionally affected by
discrimination in public places," said Chris Ford, NAVSO's CEO. "We are thrilled to
partner with the nation's leading humane organization, which also
has a long-standing history in serving our nation's military, on
such an impactful program for veterans as Operation Service Dog
Access."
The application and assessment process is currently operating in
a pilot phase but veterans who have a medically prescribed service
dog as a result of a PTS or TBI diagnosis can begin the application
process today.
Learn more at www.servicedogaccess.org. The vision for Operation
Service Dog Access is to open up this credential to any person who
has a service dog.
About American Humane
Founded in 1877, American Humane, the country's first national
humane organization, has been a pioneer in the development of
animal-assisted therapy and has been helping the U.S. military and
military animals for more than 100 years. For more information
about American Humane, please visit www.AmericanHumane.org.
About the National Association of Veteran-Serving
Organizations (NAVSO)
NAVSO is exclusively focused on
transforming the veteran services marketplace to improve the lives
of veterans and military families. Since 2015, NAVSO has
accomplished this mission by fostering innovation and delivering
resources to those who serve this remarkable community, fund their
support, study their needs or employ them. NAVSO offers educational
programing, provides direct consultation, hosts summits,
commissions research, shares democratized data resources, and
facilitates the evaluation of meaningful services. Learn more at
www.navso.org.
About the Schultz Family Foundation
The Schultz Family
Foundation, established in 1996 by Howard
and Sheri Schultz, creates pathways of opportunity for
populations facing barriers to success. The Foundation invests in
innovative solutions and partnerships that unlock people's
potential, and strengthen our businesses, communities, and our
nation. In March 2014, the Schultz
Family Foundation launched Onward Veterans, a national initiative
that empowers post-9/11 veterans and their families to successfully
transition to civilian life. In May
2015, it launched "Onward Youth", a similar initiative
focused on "opportunity youth," 16- to 24-year-olds who are out of
school and not working.
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SOURCE American Humane