Feenstra-led bill proposes $5M grant program to tend to retired police K9s

A $5 million federal grant program would be created to facilitate the veterinary care of former law enforcement canines under a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA).

“In my conversations with police and sheriff’s departments across the 4th Congressional District, officers themselves often cover the expenses associated with veterinary visits and other costs,” Rep. Feenstra said on Monday. “Our police forces are still struggling to hire new officers, and our law enforcement officers already have enough on their plates; they shouldn’t be expected to spend their paychecks on routine police dog care and checkups.”

“That’s why I introduced legislation to create a grant program that would help our police cover the costs of maintaining K9s in their departments and ensure that police dogs receive the quality care and treatment that they deserve after a lifetime of service,” added the congressman, who on Oct. 3 sponsored the Honoring Police Officer and K9 Service Act of 2023, H.R. 5885.

The measure earlier this month gained two Republican cosponsors, including U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), and has been endorsed by the National Police Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, the International Union of Police Associations, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the National Police Dog Foundation, and the Animal Cruelty and Welfare Committee of the National Sheriffs’ Association, among others.

The grant program established under H.R. 5885 would permit the U.S. Attorney General (AG) to award grants on a competitive basis to any 501(c)(3) organization that has a proven track record of successfully assisting the owners of former law enforcement K9s with costs associated with veterinary care, medication, antibiotics, or other medical expenses, and the capacity to record and provide a detailed accounting of the purposes for which the grant amounts are expended, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Feenstra’s staff.

Under the bill, any grant recipient would be required to deliver a detailed annual report to the AG outlining how grant funds were deployed, and the AG then would submit a joint report of all grant funds to Congress, the summary says.

“Our police and law enforcement officers make incredible sacrifices to protect our communities and undertake many responsibilities out of the public eye,” said Rep. Feenstra. “That includes caring for police K9s – which assist officers in seizing drugs, tracking missing people, and detaining criminals – during their service and after their retirement.”