{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-introduces-legislation-help-police-departments-and-officers-cover", "Feenstra Introduces Legislation to Help Police Departments and Officers Cover Expenses of Police Dog Care and Retirement", "2023-12-11", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) introduced the Honoring Police Officer and K9 Service Act, which would help police departments and officers cover veterinary and other costly expenses related to the retirement and care of police K9s.\n\n\u201cOur police and law enforcement officers make incredible sacrifices to protect our communities and undertake many responsibilities out of the public eye. That includes caring for police K9s \u2013 which assist officers in seizing drugs, tracking missing people, and detaining criminals \u2013 during their service and after their retirement,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cIn my conversations with police and sheriff\u2019s departments across the 4th Congressional District, officers themselves often cover the expenses associated with veterinary visits and other costs. Our police forces are still struggling to hire new officers, and our law enforcement officers already have enough on their plates; they shouldn\u2019t be expected to spend their paychecks on routine police dog care and checkups. That\u2019s 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.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongressman Feenstra is a strong ally of law enforcement and an unwavering advocate for our priorities in Congress,\u201d said Ida County Sheriff Wade Harriman. \u201cHis Honoring Police Officer and K9 Service Act represents his commitment to our police and will equip our law enforcement officers and departments in Ida County with the resources that we need to care for our police dogs and protect our communities. This legislation will ensure that our officers can focus on fighting crime and keeping drugs away from our kids without worrying about covering veterinary care and other expenses related to the wellbeing of our K9s. I thank Congressman Feenstra for his hard work and hope to see this bill be signed into law.\u201d\n\n\u201cRetired police dogs are at an increased risk for developing ailments like hip dysplasia, separation anxiety, and arthritis. Depending on the level of treatment needed, veterinary care can be cost prohibitive. Because K9s don\u2019t receive pensions like their human counterparts, their caregivers are ultimately responsible for veterinary expenses,\u201d said Paula Fitzsimmons, Legislative Director of the National Police Association. \u201cIt\u2019s why we thank Rep. Randy Feenstra for introducing the Honoring Police Officer and K9 Service Act of 2023 (H.R. 5885), a bill that closes this gap by providing caregivers with a reliable stream of income for veterinary expenses. It\u2019s a meaningful way to honor the police dogs who for years, have provided priceless services to our communities. And because most police dogs retire at home with their handlers, this bill also supports the men and women of law enforcement.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur police K9 partners who serve our communities across the country face countless dangerous situations during their careers including finding violent criminals, assisting in drug operations, and helping to bring closure to cases,\u201d said Megan Noland, Executive Director of the Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA). \u201cAfter these incredible K9 partners finish their tour of service, the least we can do is ensure they receive proper care during their retirement. MCSA is proud to endorse this legislation which will not only support our retired K9s, but also their loyal handlers.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are pleased to stand alongside Congressman Feenstra in supporting this vital legislation,\u201d said Sam A. Cabral, International President of the International Union of Police Associations. \u201cThe Act reflects a common-sense resolution to ensure the well-being of Law Enforcement Officers and their K-9 partners across the nation.\u201d\n\n\u201cLaw enforcement at all levels rely heavily on our K9 colleagues when responding to high-stress, physically demanding situations. Just as the scars of service stay with law enforcement officers and agents well past retirement, our K9 colleagues often experience lifelong physical ailments from their service. This legislation will ensure the owners of retired police dogs have the resources to support their pet in a way that truly honors their service to this country. We applaud Congressman Feenstra for leading this effort,\u201d said Mat Silverman, President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.\n\n\u201cK9\u2019s who help protect and serve throughout their lives deserve to be taken care of in retirement and communities need the resources to do so,\u201d said Sheriff Troy Wellman of Moody County, South Dakota, Chair of the Animal Cruelty and Welfare Committee of the National Sheriffs\u2019 Association. \u201cWe commend Rep. Feenstra for providing the capability to help care for those who served.\u201d\n\nMore specifically, this legislation would establish a $5,000,000 authorization for a grant program within the U.S. Department of Justice to financially assist law enforcement officers with expenses incurred by retired K9s. The Attorney General would award grants on a competitive basis to any 501(c)(3) 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.\n\nAny grant recipient would be required to deliver a detailed annual report to the U.S. Attorney General outlining how grant funds were deployed. The Attorney General would then submit a joint report of all grant funds to Congress.\n\nAccording to a police dog group, Paws of Honor, approximately 40% of the lifetime veterinary expenses for dogs occur in the last two years of their lives, meaning the handler could expect $5,000 or more in veterinary bills in the final years.\n\nIn addition to the groups above, the National Police Dog Foundation also supports this legislation.\n\nYou can find legislative text HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-introduces-legislation-help-police-departments-and-officers-cover"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.03093683719635, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}