More Than a Best Friend: Greater Los Angeles Dog Training Program Offers a Lifeline to Veterans and Staff

Marlyn Lee, who has served at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) for over 25 years, created the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Service and Therapy Dog Program in 2020 to help Veterans and the animals who support them.

“For many Veterans without a traditional family or support system, these dogs are the reason they keep going,” said Lee.

Lee relates to the Veterans she works with because pets were her own support system during a difficult childhood, from being bullied in school and being locked up in the closet at home by her grandmother.

“I survived childhood due to the emotional support from my rabbit. Caring for my goldfishes provided peace and escape from reality.  I understand why these dogs are the lifeline to Veterans,” said Lee. “I can relate to Veterans when they say they are having anxiety attacks and if they are having a panic attack, I know what it feels like.”

That personal understanding fuels her dedication to the mission. Lee currently has several dogs that serve as both personal companions and therapy animals, each demonstrating the success of the program she created. She works with rescues from the shelters and second-chance dogs, and her current selection is based upon established breeds known for their affectionate temperament needed to ensure success. 

Lee believes that both the Veterans and the dogs deserve a second chance, noting that many of the Veterans bring dogs to the program that are rescues from local shelters and now both have the opportunity to thrive together.

Her journey began with the program’s first therapy dogs, Katie and Gracie, two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels adopted from the animal shelters. Each dog presented unique training experiences. Katie adapted quickly to the program, while Gracie required significantly more time and care due to a history of neglect. It took nearly two years to help her overcome those challenges.

These early experiences reinforced an important lesson: as with any dog, regardless of breed or background, there are no guarantees. Patience, consistency, and dedicated training are essential to helping animals build confidence and succeed. Additionally, the process relies heavily on the participant’s willingness and ability to learn and work collaboratively with the dog.

These dogs helped her refine the training model she now teaches to others. Although both have passed away, Lee credits them with laying the foundation for the program’s success.  

To expand her skills and formalize her approach, Lee enrolled in the Animal Behavior College to become a certified service dog trainer. The training enabled her to develop a structured curriculum now used to teach Veterans and employees how to train their own dogs, and even how to become trainers themselves.

A significant barrier to Veteran care is the staggering cost of specialized animals. The VA does not provide or pay for service dogs for PTSD. A traditional, pre-trained psychiatric service dog costs approximately $20,000, a sum far beyond the reach of most struggling Veterans. However, the "Train-the-Trainer" model disrupts this by reducing the Veteran’s cost to roughly $1,000 for supplies and registration, said Lee.

Lee’s current dogs continue the legacy started by her early therapy dogs. Bella, a retired English Cream Golden Retriever breeder from Oregon, is a certified therapy dog who frequently visits patients and staff across medical and mental health units. Pearl, also a retired breeder, serves as Lee’s personal psychiatric service dog and is trained to help her manage panic disorder and claustrophobia, support that is especially important for her during air travel.

Lee deliberately chose older, second-career dogs like Bella and Pearl, whose calm and stable temperaments made them ideal candidates for the intensive training required for therapy and service work.

Her commitment to saving animals extends internationally as well. Two English Cream Golden Retriever puppies, Violet and Oksana, recently joined her family, and were born to a mother rescued from Ukraine during the ongoing conflict.

But rescuing dogs is only part of her mission; preparing them to work safely in a medical environment is equally essential. 

The (Puppies Assisting Wounded Soldiers) PAWS Act of 2021, signed by President Biden, stipulates that all service dogs trained through the VA must pass the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Exam.

The AKC CGC Exam is the program’s “gold standard.” This certification ensures that every dog in the program, whether training for service or therapy work, has the good manners and temperament required to function in a public setting.

Lee’s curriculum involves one-hour weekly group sessions where handlers learn basic obedience and socialization. This structure is based on Lee’s experiences in the Emergency Department, where she witnessed the dangers of untrained animals interfering with life-saving care.

The program is designed as an incentive for Veterans who are actively engaged in their recovery. Its goal is to empower Veterans to support both their own progress and their dogs’ development. To be eligible, a Veteran must be under the current care of a psychologist or psychiatrist and have a minimum of one year of documented compliance with all treatment plans.

This strict criterion ensures that the Veteran is an active partner in their own health before assuming the responsibility of a working animal. The program maintains the right to refuse admission based on safety risks or resource limitations, particularly in cases involving aggressive dogs or histories of animal fighting.

The process begins with a written referral from the Veteran’s treating psychiatrist, ensuring the dog is fully integrated into the Veteran’s clinical treatment plan. Once a participant completes the program and passes the American Kennel Club (AKC) testing, the psychiatrist records the VA‑trained psychiatric service dog in the Veteran’s electronic medical record.

To maintain both program integrity and public safety, Lee adheres strictly to the PAWS Act. Every dog must pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen Exam to be officially recognized as a psychiatric service animal. The Veteran is responsible for all AKC registration and testing costs, and the VA issues a “letter of completion” only after receiving confirmation from the AKC.

The technical requirements for the dogs are non-negotiable to ensure they can operate in clinical settings:

• Physical Health: Dogs must be spayed or neutered (unless they are AKC-registered purebreds), up-to-date on vaccinations like rabies, and free of parasites.
• Behavioral Discipline: Any dog exhibiting aggression toward humans or other animals is immediately excluded.
• Attendance: Veterans must attend weekly classes at the West LA VA Medical Center; four missed sessions result in immediate dismissal from the program.

The program also extends its benefits to VA employees, who are eligible to participate and receive support alongside the Veterans they serve, helping address the growing issue of staff burnout.

According to the 2020 study, “Developing an Animal-Assisted Support Program for Healthcare Employees,” one effective strategy for improving the workplace and reducing the risk of burnout is offering animal-assisted support programs for employees.

Evidence shows that these programs can significantly enhance employee well‑being and are associated with reduced workplace stress and absenteeism, as well as improvements in mood, health, productivity, job satisfaction, and overall work quality.

For Lisa Maloney, a medically retired United States Coast Guard Veteran, readjusting to civilian life was difficult. Her 15 years of service had left her with PTSD, hypervigilance and anxiety, challenges that made seemingly mundane tasks, like sitting in a hospital waiting room, feel overwhelming. Then, in 2024, the loss of her service dog, Luna, sent her back into isolation after a year of therapy.

But this was mitigated when two stray German Shepherd puppies appeared on her property. After confirming these were abandoned pups, Maloney undertook their rehabilitation, naming the female Luna, after her beloved former service dog, and the male Smokey, also after another beloved pet from her past, and felt an inexplicable bond with both dogs.

Through the program, Maloney enrolled Luna in service-dog training and traveled regularly from Rosamond, California, to the West LA VA Medical Center.

Luna eventually passed the gold‑standard citizenship exam, and today, acts as a “security blanket,” watching Maloney’s back in public spaces and giving her the confidence to go out and enjoy trips to the beach and the mountains.

“I take Luna with me almost wherever I go, because when I have the service animal, I can relax,” Maloney said. “It’s like day and night from before and after. I can actually go out without freaking out … All the sudden, I have dogs again, and I’m getting my life back.”

Maloney is presently training Smokey as well, and she’s noticed that he has begun mimicking Luna’s good behaviors, making both dogs ideal companions. She has expressed deep gratitude to Lee for her help with training both dogs and supporting Veterans like her.

To learn more about the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Service and Therapy Dog Program, please reach out to Marlyn.Lee@va.gov.