I'd like to ask all y'all (y'all is you singular - all y'all means all of you) to do me a favor - costs you nothing but a few minutes of your time.
I have a request for everyone reading this. Please reach out to your elected officials – even if you didn’t vote for them – and ask them to support any legislation that would provide funding for medical expenses for retired K9’s – military and law enforcement alike.
We know that these dogs have saved lives and all of them would, without question, give their lives for their handler – as many have. These dogs are treated well while on active duty, but once retired, are treated like excess equipment and it falls on their handler, or their adoptive family, to care for them. It is imperative that the government steps up to assist in these efforts, ensuring that retired K9s receive the care and respect they deserve after a lifetime of service.
Legislation started with
Text - H.R.5314 - 106th Congress (1999-2000): To require the immediate termination of the Department of Defense practice of euthanizing military working dogs at the end of their useful working life and to facilitate the adoption of retired military working dogs by law enforcement agencies, former handlers of these dogs, and other persons capable of caring for these dogs. | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
More recently this
Text - H.R.3144 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Honoring our K9 Heroes Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress with an amendment to increase funding and expand the language to anyone who adopts a Federal or LE working dog. That language is below.
As this will be coming up for vote soon, please reach out to your elected officials.
Here is the verbiage of the latest revision:
A MODIFICATION TO PUBLIC LAW 106–446—NOV. 6, 2000
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 106-446, § 153 struck out “(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the United States shall not be liable for any veterinary expense associated with a military animal transferred or adopted under this section for a condition of the military animal before transfer or adoption under this section, whether or not such condition is known at the time of transfer or adoption under this section”.
To require the United States Department of Defense to establish a grant program to assist with the medical expenses of qualified working dogs, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “K–9 Hero Act of 2025”.
SECTION II. FINDINGS
In 2022, The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report GAO-23-104489, stated that about 5,100 working dogs were managed in 40 federally managed programs: U.S. Air Force (564); U.S. Army (469); U.S. Marine Corps (189); U.S. Navy (319); U.S. Special Operations Command (140); Pentagon Force Protection (24); National Security Agency Police (32); National Guard Bureau (9); National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (19); and the Defense Intelligence Agency (4).
A report established by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in 2017 found that the average cost to take care of a retired military working dog is an average of $1,182 per fiscal year. This report did not consider the cost for special medical expenses required for these dogs, such as extensive surgeries from service-related injuries, medical supplements vital for health, and treatments for other illnesses accumulated through service.
Owners of these dogs are therefore required to rely on non-profit organizations to aid them in paying for these medical expenses. Non-profit organizations obtain said money via fundraising and donors, but do not always receive the necessary amount of funds needed to aid owners in covering these expenses. Awarding a grant to these non-profits would ensure that these organizations would have the necessary amount to pay owners the amount needed for specialty medical expenses.
SEC. III. GRANT PROGRAM TO FUND COVERED MEDICAL EXPENSES FOR QUALIFIED WORKKING DOGS
AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 17 is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 18 out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.’’.
Establishment. —Not later than one fiscal year after the date of enactment of this Act, and each fiscal year thereafter for four fiscal years, the United States Department of Defense shall carry out a program in which it may award grants, each in amounts not to exceed $575,000, to eligible non-profit organizations to assist with the covered medical expenses of qualified working dogs.
Eligibility. —A non-profit organization is eligible to receive a grant under this section if the organization primarily exists to care for qualified working dogs and provide medically related financial assistance to owners of qualified working dogs.
Application. —To receive a grant under this section, a non-profit organization shall submit to the United States Department of Defense an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the United States Department of Defense may require, including information that demonstrates that the non-profit organization meets the eligibility requirements under subsection (b).
Use Of Funds. —A recipient of a grant under this section shall use such grant to pay for covered medical expenses of qualified working dogs.
Grant Amount Reduction. —A grant amount awarded to an eligible non-profit organization for a fiscal year pursuant to this section shall be reduced by an amount equal to the total amount of unexpended grant funds awarded under this section in previous fiscal years. A report must be submitted annually to report how funds are being spent and distributed through the United States Department of Defense.
Report. —United States Department of Defense shall submit to Congress a report that details— the number of qualified working dogs assisted pursuant to a grant awarded under this section; and
the average medical expenses for each qualified working dog assisted pursuant to a grant awarded under this section. These figures should be used to accurately appropriate funds for each qualified retired working dog.
how granted funds are being disbursed among qualified working dogs and non-profit organizations that aim to aid retired working dogs.
(g) Collection Of Data. —In carrying out this section, the United States Department of Defense shall—develop data and statistics to be used for organizations dealing with retired working dogs for the improvement in health post-retirement.
establish processes to document and track how much funding is required to support each retired working dog.
Continue to establish this data over the course of five years for each retired working dog and its handler, or the organization handling retired working dogs.
(i) Definitions. —In this Act—
the term “covered medical expenses” means any expense that derive from medical treatment and care of qualified working dogs, including veterinarian office visits related to injuries, illness, or other health issues received from a dogs service to the United States Federal Government, medical procedures, diagnostic tests, medications, medical supplements, and dietary alternatives that are necessary to preserve and maintain a retired working dog’s health.
the term “qualified working dog” means a retired dog that worked for the Federal Government.
the term “average medical expenses” means the average amount of money spent on a retired working dog for medical purposes in a fiscal year.
