{"id":2637017,"date":"2026-07-29T05:36:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T09:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/should-taxpayers-fund-veterans-service-dogs\/"},"modified":"2026-07-29T05:42:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T09:42:47","slug":"should-taxpayers-fund-veterans-service-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/should-taxpayers-fund-veterans-service-dogs\/","title":{"rendered":"Should taxpayers fund veterans service dogs?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">12<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fshould-taxpayers-fund-veterans-service-dogs%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2637017&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>U.S. Army veteran Scott Edgell credits his recovery from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-gary-sinise-launches-new-initiative-with-home-depot-founders\/\" title=\"WATCH: Gary Sinise Launches New Initiative With Home Depot Founders\">traumatic brain injury<\/a> to Mars, a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >specially trained goldendoodle service dog provided<\/a> at no cost through the Pups4Patriots program by the American Humane Society. Mars assists Edgell by recognizing triggers and providing comfort during stressful situations, significantly improving his quality of life and enabling him to participate in activities like travel and public outings, which were previously challenging. The high costs of training service dogs, ranging from $15,000 to $50,000, limit the number of veterans who can access such assistance.Recognizing this issue, lawmakers introduced the SAVES Act in 2025 to establish a VA grant program funding nonprofit organizations to train and place more service dogs with veterans. Edgell advocates for this initiative, emphasizing its profound impact on his life, and argues that broader support could help serve more veterans in need. The legislation has bipartisan backing but remains under consideration in Congress.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For army <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/\">veteran<\/a> Scott Edgell, healing didn\u2019t come from a prescription: It came on four legs with a wagging tail. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mars, a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.americanhumane.org\/give\/pups4patriots\/\">specially trained<\/a> goldendoodle, helps Edgell manage the lasting effects of his traumatic brain injury. Mars performs tasks designed to meet his specific needs.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/videos\/4666615\/saves-act-veteran-service-dogs-taxpayer-fund-lengthy-pricey-nonprofit-aid\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Should <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/loyal-delta-customer-boycotting-airline-after-boarding-flight-she-says-was-packed-with-migrants\/\" title=\"Delta customer boycotts airline after boarding flight she claims was crowded with migrants\">taxpayer dollars pay<\/a> for veterans\u2019 service dogs? Congress is deciding<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4666951\/georgia-special-election-runoff-13th-district\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Two Democrats head to runoff in special election for Georgia\u2019s 13th District<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4666517\/hakeem-jeffries-reverse-medicaid-cuts-democrats-house-majority\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Jeffries promises to reverse Medicaid cuts if Democrats take the House<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Edgell and Mars have come to Washington to demonstrate just how much of a difference a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/sports\/4603145\/washington-commanders-new-season-team-dog-tj\/\">service dog<\/a> can make to a veteran.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\">U.S. Army Veteran, Scott Edgell speaks with Washington Examiner across from the Capitol on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Amy DeLaura\/Washington Examiner)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/07\/localimages\/Screenshot-2026-07-28-at-3.35.15-PM-1.png?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Army Veteran, Scott Edgell speaks with Washington Examiner across from the Capitol on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Amy DeLaura\/Washington Examiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOne of the biggest problems I have is I don\u2019t recognize my triggers,\u201d Edgell told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cI don\u2019t recognize what\u2019s setting my brain off. So by the time I realize that it\u2019s too late, Mars is right there at the beginning of it, and he\u2019ll either nudge me, rub against my leg, anything to distract me, to get me to focus on him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before Edgell had Mars\u2019s assistance, he said he would struggle to go to public places and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/help-prevent-dementia-with-this-simple-habit\/\" title=\"Help Prevent Dementia With This Simple Habit\">perform daily tasks<\/a>, even tasks as simple as grocery shopping. With Mars\u2019s help, he can now navigate these stressful situations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA trip like this I would have never been able to take,\u201d Edgell said. \u201cI would have never been able to do it. It\u2019s opened up my life quite a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Edgell received Mars through <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AmericanHumane\">American Humane Society<\/a>\u2018s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.americanhumane.org\/what-we-do\/care-for-our-heroes\/pups4patriots\/\">Pups4Patriots<\/a> program, which provides trained service dogs to eligible veterans at no cost.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vice President of Program Development at <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/americanhumane\/?hl=en\">American Humane Society<\/a>, Amy Hrin, said training a service dog is a lengthy and pricey process, which limits how many <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/veterans\/\">veterans<\/a> these kinds of nonprofit groups can help.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe cost can range from $15,000 to $50,000, depending on the level of training,\u201d Hrin told <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\">Vice President of Program Development at American Humane Society, Amy Hrin, speaks with Washington Examiner across from the Capitol on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Amy DeLaura\/Washington Examiner)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/07\/localimages\/PXL_20260728_154408805.jpeg?w=696&#8243; height=&#8221;768&#8243; width=&#8221;1024&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vice President of Program Development at American Humane Society, Amy Hrin, speaks with the Washington Examiner across from the Capitol on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Amy DeLaura\/Washington Examiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This issue has now caught the attention of lawmakers. The Service Dogs Assisting Veterans, or <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/house-bill\/2605\/text\">SAVES Act<\/a>, was introduced by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/luttrell.house.gov\/\">Rep. Morgan Luttrell<\/a> (R-TX) in April of 2025. The bipartisan proposal would create a Department of Veteran Affairs grant program to help nonprofit groups such as Pups4Patriots train and place more dogs with eligible veterans. Instead of veterans paying out of pocket or nonprofit organizations relying solely on donations, the funding would come from taxpayer dollars through grants administered by the VA.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPups4Patriots would be able to scale on a national level and be able to offer so many more veterans service dogs for all of their needs, whether it\u2019s PTS or TBI,\u201d Hrin said. \u201cThere is so much more demand than supply right now, and so passing the SAVES Act could be instrumental in helping put the healing leash in the hands of a veteran who just needs a lifeline.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Edgell wants Congress to know how important this program is to him and so many other veterans.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe impact of my life is not measurable,\u201d Edgell said. \u201cWhat Mars does for me on a daily basis, how much he\u2019s helped me. I have 24-hour daycare. He\u2019s with me 24 hours a day to help me from morning to night.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"h-america-s-veterans-deserve-a-choice\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/op-eds\/4641959\/americas-veterans-deserve-a-choice\/\"><strong>AMERICA\u2019S VETERANS DESERVE A CHOICE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For organizations such as Pups4Patriots, this proposal means training more dogs, serving more veterans, and ensuring cost never stands in the way of recovery.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The SAVES Act has bipartisan support, but before it can become law, Congress will have to decide whether to fund service dogs through the VA for taxpayers. The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/legislation\/\">legislation<\/a> has sat on the Union Calendar since September 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Army vet Scott Edgell finds healing through a service dog, not medication<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4353,"featured_media":2637018,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-28-at-4.49.16-PM.png?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[49184,83363,51463],"class_list":["post-2637017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-public-funding","tag-service-dogs","tag-veterans-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-28-at-4.49.16-PM.png?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2637017","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4353"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2637017"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2637017\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2637021,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2637017\/revisions\/2637021"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2637018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2637017"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2637017"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2637017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}