Below are the types of services provided by VMF.
Comfort Dogs:
Provide opportunities for motivational, educational, recreational and/or therapeutic benefit to enhance quality of life for veterans by providing comfort and unconditional love to seriously ill or confined veterans.
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
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.
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
