Ground-breaking work to better serve Veterans living with mental health conditions
June 1, 2015 – Cambridge, ON – Veterans Affairs Canada
The Honourable Erin O’Toole, Minister of Veterans Affairs, today announced national standards will be set for service dogs which assist Veterans with mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The announcement was made during a visit to the National Service Dogs House and Training Centre in Cambridge, Ontario, where Minister O’Toole met with Veterans’ groups and members of psychiatric service dog training organizations.
National standards will help to ensure consistency across the country for psychiatric service dogs. The Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) will lead the development of the standards in consultation with Veterans’ groups and psychiatric service dog training providers.
During the visit, Minister O’Toole provided an update on the work being done to better serve Veterans and their families who are living with mental health conditions, including ground-breaking research into the effect of psychiatric service dogs on Veterans with PTSD.
The Minister also highlighted the extensive network of mental health clinics and service points to assist Veterans from coast to coast and the 24-hour hotline providing immediate psychiatric assistance for all Veterans and their families.
Martin Magnan
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Veterans of Affairs
613-996-4649
Media Relations
Veterans Affairs Canada
613-992-7468
