Borden, Carol. Personal interview.

23, July 2016

In this interview we discussed several things, though I decided to focus only
on four subjects, what makes a service dog in the eyes of state and federal
law. What kind of factors come into play when pairing a dog and recipient.
The difference between service dogs and emotional support animals. And the
natural abilities of dogs.
The interview that I had with Carol involved a few different things, including a
dogs natural abilities and what kind of factors go into pairing a dog with their
recipient. As Carol is the Chair and founder of Guardian Angels Medical
Service Dogs, as well as an expert consultant with the state of Florida. She
also consults at the federal level regarding laws and regulations involved with
service dogs of all types.
The information that I received from Carol is going to be very helpful
regarding the topic of empirical evidence, as well as reinforcing topics of
training and mitigation.
Breed, Allen G. VA service dogs study for vets with PTSD questioned. Militarytimes,
21 April, 2016. Web.
19 July, 2016.
This article brings in an opposing view of sorts with some scientists quoted
indicating that there simply isnt enough evidence to conclusively prove that
PTSD dogs do anything but allow the recipient to ignore their symptoms and
not come to terms with them. The VA is currently doing a study on service
dogs in relation to PTSD care which is set to conclude in 2018. This study has
had issues in that the inaugural run was dismantled, originally having three
teams of nonprofit organizations. The VA dropped two of them, for biting
incidents. The last one was dropped due to lax veterinary care, among other
things.
Concerning the sources, Militarytimes is a respected publication by veterans
and enlisted both. The author of the piece is actually a member of the AP, not
staffed by Militarytimes. There are quotes from Yount, founder of Warrior
Canine Connection, as well as other members of that organization.
This is a good article that can provide some differing views in regard to PTSD
dog training and necessity. Also with sources like Yount, who I am using from
another source.
Finley, Erin P. "Empowering Veterans with PTSD in the Recovery Era: Advancing
Dialogue and Integrating
Services." Annals of Anthropological Practice 37.2
(2013): 75-91. Web.
The article begins with some background of the writer and delves into some
of the history of the three operations that hell mention throughout the
journal. Goes in to listing the numbers of people that have been to the VA for
service related injuries as of mid-2012. He goes over studies and elaborates
on their findings. He goes on to speak about different treatments and results.

The author is an anthropologist who works with the VA and the South Texas
Veterans Health Care System. That puts his credibility pretty high regarding
PTSD. Both clinically and anthropologically. As an anthropologist, hes able to
see short and long term ramifications regarding the issue of PTSD and its
treatment.
This article will be helpful in establishing PTSD itself. Numbers and statistics
will help with the other articles that Ive collected.
Myra F. Taylor, Mary E. Edwards & Julie Ann Pooley (2013) Nudging Them Back to
Reality: Toward a Growing Public Acceptance of the Role Dogs Fulfill in
Ameliorating Contemporary Veterans' PTSD Symptoms, Anthrozos: A
multidisciplinary journal of the Interactions of people and animals, 26:4, 593-611
Beginning with a small history lesson involving mental health associated with
combat exposure, the article goes on to focus on PTSD citing that 1 in 6
contemporary American veterans (aged 50 and under) are estimated to have
the disorder. It goes on to analyze a study involving 19 service men and
women. And then into the results of the study, giving a pre and post dog.
Showing a nice graphic of quotes about how each felt pre and post dog.
The research shows that dogs can assist PTSD mitigation in three ways that
dogs are categorized: Service dog, therapy dog, and emotional support
animal. Though the report gives both sides, the general idea is that PSDs can
and do assist in mitigating PTSD symptoms.
This report will go very well with each of the five sources that Ive found thus
far. I cant give any examples just now, but I believe that this study will
complement a report on PSD training regimen. And also echo some of the
views in a report about potential benefits of PSDs.
"PTSD: National Center for PTSD." Dogs and PTSD -. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Aug. 2016.
While not an article, it is informative in how it describes the things a dog can
do and the difference between service dogs and emotional support dogs and
pets.
The page is from va.gov. I would think that it would be a credible source.
This can help with proving that dogs can mitigate PTSD symptoms.
Stern, Stephen L., D. Allen Donahue, Sybil Allison, John P. Hatch, Cynthia L.
Lancaster, Trisha A. Benson,
Allegro L. Johnson, Matthew D. Jeffreys, Denise
Pride, Carlos Moreno, and Alan L. Peterson. Potential Benefits of Canine
Companionship for Military Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
21st ed. N.p.: Brill, n.d. Society and Animals. 2013. Web. 2 Aug. 2016.
This entry involves PTSD and the relationship between owners and dogs.
Going from a study of 30 participants and discussing the findings. These dogs
are not service dogs. Just regular pets that the study was done with.

Credibility regarding the authors is pretty easy to argue. Seven are in

Psychiatry service with the University of Texas Health Science Center. One
works with the Laboratory for Study of Anxiety Disorders of U of T. One is with
the Psychology service with the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.
One with the department of Psychiatry at San Antonio Military Medical Center.
And one with the Nursing Service at the South Texas Veterans Health Care
System.
This article will be a great addition to my whole argument, especially the
interview with Carol Borden. The study in the article shows that dogs are
therapeutic in nature.
Weinmeyer, Richard, JD, MA, MPhil. "Service Dogs for Veterans with Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder." The
AMA Journal of Ethic 17.6 (2015): 547-52. Web.
Starting out with a story regarding a Naval Lieutenant who developed PTSD,
got psychiatric assistance, and then was paired with a service dog. The
author goes to write about how the VA doesnt want to pay for any kind of
service dog care related to psychological treatment. Going into details
regarding VAs PTSD treatment methods. Goes on to mention that in 2009
Congress allowed the VA to include service dogs for mental illness, though in
2012 the VA decided that service dogs would only be supported by
themselves if they were for visual, hearing, or mobility impairments.
The source material for this journal is 22 long. Ranging from NYtimes to
Quinnipiac. The author himself is a senior research associate for the AMA.
This is a good article for a more legal aspect of service dogs. It also can
provide a retort to the opposing view article that was done earlier. While the
article might not necessarily focus on how a service dog helps their
recipients, it does focus on some of the issues veterans in particular have in
regards to PTSD and their service dogs.
Yount, Rick A., MS, Meg D. Olmert, and Mary R. Lee, MD. "Service Dog Training
Program for Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress in Service Members." National
Center for
Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine,
Spring 2012. Web. 17 July 2016.

The beginning of the article explains about Younts history and experience
with social work. And how he began to invest in dogs as a mitigation for
certain disorders. The paper goes on to give facts about a need for service
dogs for the military. How they can be cost effective and help no just
recipients, but the workplace as a whole. From testimonials to clinical
research the research suggest that the dogs assist in the mitigation of many
symptoms.
Yount has the experience to be able to assist with individuals that have had
severe traumatic experiences. A 2009 study shows that approx. 40% of Iraq

and Afghan veterans treated at American health centers during previous

years were diagnosed with PTSD or some other type of mental illness. Thats
not including the people who refuse to accept any help and refuse to accept
that they have a problem. Observations include increase of patients, impulse
control. Improved sleep, decreased depression and startle responses. These
symptoms of PTSD are some of the most debilitating for a person.
The article is a great note to add with my first journal. It also allows for
another journal that has to do with potential benefits of service dogs, and
another regarding public acceptance of said dogs.