May 20, 2010

State lets veterans have their therapy dogs

 UPDATE: Wow! That was fast! Rep. Cory Mason tells us that late this afternoon the rules were changed, and the vets will get their dogs back. Mason's office was called by the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, and told that the Department of Administration has agreed to allow registered therapy dogs back in the veterans homes.

 Original post:

Let dogs back into vets' home, say area legislators

Three Racine  legislators called on the state today to quickly change a new policy banning dogs at two state veterans' homes.

The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs  recently stopped allowing animals in the two state-run veterans homes because it is against state regulations. The WDVA has asked the state Department of Administration to grant an exemption to allow therapeutic animals inside these veterans homes.

The use of therapy dogs is common in many nursing homes. Research has shown that these visits can decrease loneliness and improve some residents’ quality of life.

Sen. John Lehman and Reps. Cory Mason and Bob Turner, who represent residents at the Veterans Home at Union Grove, sent a letter today to DOA urging quick approval of this exemption request, so dog visits can resume.

“Visits from these dogs are not only therapeutic, but also provide a comfort of home to residents who owned dogs before moving to the Veterans Home,” Lehman said.

“Our veterans have given everything to serve our country. The least we can do is afford them the comfort found by man’s best friend,” said Mason.

 “As a veteran myself, I felt it important to ask the DOA to expedite the request from WDVA and allow these visits to residents to continue,” said Turner.

9 comments:

  1. It just blows my mind that dogs cannot go to see the Veterans. What harm does that really do? Shame on who ever stopped it.

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  2. I don't want to hear about the compassion of the dems. You don't need to be a medical person or ever worked in a nursing home to know the therapy value of animals.

    This new nanny state the dems are building us is not America. Not sure where this is taking us but I don't like it one bit.

    The goal is stated to be saving us from ourselves but it seems to be just control of the population because we are too stupid to know better. Wake up in November folks we have to stop this stuff.

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  3. this is just another one of the bone-headed decisions coming out of the Dept of Veteran Affairs. This and their malfeasance of funds really makes me wonder about the administration!!

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  4. How cool - you mean something was worked out without a committee or a study that would take ages!!!!
    Glad this was worked out for the sake of the vets.

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  5. Thank you for helping! Even Mason.

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  6. People (staff, nurses and aides) do what they can to assist the members at the VA Center. I can attest to this because I witnessed the care and compassion while my dad was there. He passed. I befriended an ol'fella named John. He has since departed, too. John would share his memories of war, weddings and wounds to his soul with me. One grief was the heartbreak of leaving his beloved cat behind when he entered Boland Hall. In the hopes of comforting him, one time I took my fuzzy little dog, Happy, to visit. This leathery old soldier was like a five year old at Christmas! John's eyes got as big as saucers as he hugged and cuddled Happy. It was the best gift I could have given my old friend, this one who was once willing to give everything for his country. Dogs give us something no human can - big ears and no advice.
    To take that away from America's former quardians would be cruel. I'm glad to learn at least one politician has a heart for true Americans.

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  7. Really wonderful to hear. Now lets correct our mistakes with the fountain.

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  8. Those three still don't have my vote, out with them all.

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  9. If these guys are so good, then maybe they should get their acts together and do something about the cost of living going up at the veterans home. I'm glad they got the dogs back, but now work on the rent out there. It's a little more important than dogs. Some people have to move. Lets give the veterans a place to live.

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