SAVES Act Launches 5-Year VA Pilot: Free Service Dogs and Lifelong Vet Insurance for Veterans

The Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act of 2025 (SAVES Act) is setting up a major new pilot program within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The goal is straightforward: significantly increase the availability of service dogs for veterans with specific physical and mental health conditions. Within two years of enactment, the VA must start awarding competitive grants to nonprofit organizations that train and provide these dogs.

This isn’t just a small handout; Congress has authorized $10 million annually for five consecutive years to fund this effort. The pilot program itself will run for five years from the date the first grant is issued. Nonprofits can receive up to $2 million each, and they must demonstrate a clear plan for dog and veteran training, follow humane standards, and have experience meeting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) training requirements. This means the VA is looking to partner with established, quality organizations.

The Real Cost Savings for Veterans

For veterans, the biggest takeaway is the financial relief. The bill strictly mandates that any nonprofit receiving a grant cannot charge the veteran any fee for receiving the service dog. These dogs can cost tens of thousands of dollars to train, making them inaccessible to many. The SAVES Act removes that massive financial barrier.

But the cost of the dog itself is only half the battle. Think about the lifelong expense of keeping a large service animal healthy. That’s where this bill delivers a massive, unprecedented benefit: the VA must provide a standard, commercially available veterinary insurance policy for every service dog provided through this grant program. Crucially, once the VA starts paying for that insurance, they must continue to pay for it indefinitely, even after the five-year pilot program ends. This ensures that veterans won't have to worry about the inevitable vet bills for the working life of their companion.

Who Qualifies for a Service Dog?

The eligibility criteria are broader than many might expect. An "eligible veteran" is someone a doctor determines has one of several conditions, including blindness, severe mobility issues, hearing loss, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). It also includes any other condition where a doctor decides a service dog is the best way for the veteran to manage their situation and live independently. This broad language recognizes that service dogs can assist with a wide range of needs, including mental health mobility challenges.

The Administrative Fine Print

While the benefits are clear, the bill is a pilot program, and implementation will be key. The VA Secretary is tasked with setting up the oversight and monitoring rules. They also have the authority to limit how much of the grant money can be used for administrative costs. Since the program is funded by taxpayer dollars ($50 million over five years), the VA needs to ensure these funds go directly to providing dogs and not just funding overhead. If the Secretary sets the administrative cap too high or the monitoring is lax, that could be a point of concern. However, for now, the focus is on getting this much-needed service and the critical, lifelong veterinary insurance into the hands of veterans who need it.