26 September 2023

Veterans to lap up new canine companions

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More veterans seeking to manage their post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will benefit from the expansion of the Government’s psychiatric assistance dog program.

Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel, Darren Chester said that following the successful launch of the program in September, there had been increased interest from the ex-service community and organisations passionate about supporting veterans’ mental health.

“Veterans have told me about the benefits of an assistance dog in managing their mental health in a positive way – this is real action that responds to the needs of veterans,” Mr Chester said.

“These dogs are matched with veterans and are trained to notice signs of distress and perform specific actions to ease the symptoms of PTSD.”

This could include waking their handler when he or she is experiencing a night terror or nuzzling their handler to distract them during times of stress.

“By expanding the panel of providers, more veterans will be able to access a psychiatric assistance dog to assist them in managing their PTSD, reduce isolation and give the veteran a chance to improve their mental health and wellbeing,” the Minister said.

“I encourage those organisations who train assistance dogs and who are passionate about supporting veterans’ mental health to review the open tender and submit an application.”

Mr Chester said interested providers should have access to qualified and registered mental health professionals with experience working with individuals with PTSD and who can advise on all aspects of partnering veterans with psychiatric assistance dogs.

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