Animal Services, Veterans

Veterans Moving Forward, Inc. (VMF) provides service dogs and canine therapy services to veterans with physical and mental health challenges at no cost to the veteran. 

We have three types of dogs:

1) Therapy Dogs:

• Participate in animal-assisted therapy with specific goals, objectives and progress documented by a health care professional within the scope of practice of his/her profession.
• Occupation therapists: daily living skills or vocational skills Physical therapists: gross motor skills (walking; strength training) and physical contact/touch
• Certified therapeutic recreation specialist: for motor skills, sports, recreation, or leisure
• Psychologists: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), socialization, mental stimulation; motivation to participate in therapy and recovery
• Speech therapists: vocalizing commands to dog

2) Facility Dogs:

•  Work at the side of a professional care-giver, health care practitioner, or physical or occupation therapist to engage veterans in activities to stimulate healing and recovery.

3) Assistance/Service Dogs:

Assist an independent veteran with a physical (visible) or mental health challenge (invisible) for service 24/7 x 365 for 5–7 years. Fully-trained dogs are capable of bringing calm to a veteran with PTSD and/or performing at least three specific tasks to mitigate the veteran's disability.

• Retrieve dropped items
• Open/close doors
• Turn on/off light switches
• Carry items
• Alert in emergency