Crisis?Call 988, press 1Text 838255Chat with the Veterans Crisis Line (opens in a new window)

Skip to content
Helping The Brave, because no brave fights alone

Claims & Benefits

Service dogs for Veterans: what VA covers and how to avoid scams

VA can pay for vet care and gear for a service dog from an accredited program. VA doesn't give out dogs itself, and an online "registration" means nothing under the law.

Who this is for: Veterans with a vision, hearing, mobility or mental health condition who are thinking about a service dog.

What VA covers

If a VA clinician decides a service dog is right for you, VA can pay for veterinary insurance for one dog at a time (premiums, copays and deductibles), the equipment the dog needs to do its work, and travel to go get the dog.

VA doesn't pay for food, grooming, boarding or over-the-counter medicine, and VA doesn't supply the dogs.

Source: VA Prosthetics: Service and guide dogs

Who qualifies

Ask your VA primary care or mental health provider for an evaluation. They request the benefit through VA Prosthetics.

  • Veterans with a vision, hearing or substantial mobility impairment whose VA clinician prescribes a service dog.
  • Veterans whose mobility is limited mainly by a mental health condition, when a VA mental health team decides a dog is the best treatment.
  • The dog must come from a program accredited by Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF), with a certificate.

Source: VA Prosthetics: Service and guide dogs

The PAWS pilot for PTSD

A 2021 law (the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act) created a 5-year VA pilot where Veterans with PTSD help train service dogs. It runs at five VA sites: Anchorage, Asheville, Palo Alto, San Antonio and West Palm Beach. As of October 2026, VA still describes it as a pilot. Ask those VA medical centers about openings.

Source: VA Palo Alto: PAWS program

Watch out for service dog scams

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, there is no official registry or certificate for service dogs, and no vest is required. Websites that sell "registrations," ID cards or certificates give you no legal rights.

Before you pay any group, ask if it's accredited by ADI or IGDF (VA requires that for its benefit), what the full cost is, and how long the wait is. Ask whether anything will cost you.

ADA: Service animal FAQsAssistance Dogs International

Source: ADA.gov: Service animal FAQs

Questions to ask your VA provider

Start with your VA primary care or mental health provider. They can refer you to VA Prosthetics.

  • Can I be evaluated for a service dog?
  • Would a mobility or mental health service dog fit my needs?
  • Is this program ADI or IGDF accredited, and what will it cost me?
Find your VAService dog groups near you

Your next step

Every mental health optionVA health care guide

Official sources

Reviewed against these sources on October 26, 2026. Rules change. Confirm details with VA or an accredited representative before you act on them.

This guide is general education. It does not decide your eligibility, it is not legal or medical advice, and Helping The Brave is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Keep reading

Eligibility basics

Discharge status, service period and length of service decide which doors are open to you. Understanding them first saves months of guessing.

Disability compensation

A monthly, tax-free payment for conditions connected to your service. The rating is about how much the condition limits you, not how severe it feels.

VA health care

Enrollment puts you in a priority group, and that group decides what you pay. Many Veterans who assume they do not qualify actually do.