SAVES Act Launches VA Pilot Program for Free Service Dogs and Vet Insurance Through 2031

The Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act, or the SAVES Act, is setting up a major new pilot program within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to get service dogs into the hands of veterans who need them. The core of the bill is Section 2, which authorizes the VA to award competitive grants—up to $2,000,000 each—to nonprofit organizations that train and provide service dogs. The big takeaway for veterans is simple: if you qualify, the service dog must be provided to you absolutely free of charge, with the cost covered by the VA grant.

The Free Dog Provision: Eligibility and Fine Print

To be clear, this isn't a blanket program. An "eligible veteran" must be enrolled in the VA system, have a service dog officially prescribed by the VA Secretary, and suffer from a "covered condition." This list of conditions is broad, including mobility issues, hearing loss, blindness, and crucially, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The VA Secretary gets the final say on what counts as a covered condition, which means the interpretation could narrow or widen access depending on who is running the show at the VA. Nonprofits receiving grant money must detail their training plans and prove they meet ADA standards for service dogs, ensuring quality control.

More Than Just the Dog: Insurance and Oversight

One of the most practical provisions for veterans is the potential inclusion of veterinary insurance. The VA Secretary is authorized to provide a standard, commercially available vet insurance policy for the service dog. This is huge, as ongoing vet costs can be a massive financial burden. If the VA starts paying for this insurance, they are required to keep paying for it for the life of that specific dog, even if the pilot program ends in 2031. However, there’s a catch: the Secretary can stop providing that insurance if they decide it’s in the “best interest of the veteran, the dog, or the Federal Government.” That specific wording leaves some wiggle room for the VA to pull coverage later, which is something veterans relying on this benefit will want to watch closely.

The Business of Helping: Grants and Timelines

The VA has 24 months to get this pilot program running. The legislation authorizes $10,000,000 annually for the program from fiscal years 2027 through 2031, after which the authority for the pilot ends on September 30, 2031. For the nonprofits, this is a major funding opportunity to expand services, but they will be heavily monitored. The VA is directed to set up oversight rules and can cap the amount of grant money that goes toward administrative costs, making sure the bulk of the funds go directly toward the dogs and the veterans they serve.

A Quick Note on Pensions

Section 3 of the SAVES Act deals with a completely separate issue: veteran pensions. It extends the expiration date of certain existing limits on pension payments by about 15 months, pushing the deadline from November 30, 2031, to February 28, 2033. This doesn't create new limits or benefits; it simply keeps the current rules about how much pension money can be paid under specific sections of the law in place for a little longer than originally planned.