SAVES Act

This bill establishes a Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program to award competitive grants to nonprofit organizations for providing trained service dogs to eligible veterans . The program aims to help veterans manage various disabilities, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) , and live more independently. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must establish this program within 24 months of the Act's enactment. Nonprofit entities applying for grants must detail their plans for providing service dogs, including comprehensive training for both veterans and dogs, marketing strategies, and a commitment to humane treatment standards. Applicants must demonstrate proven experience in training service dogs in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Grantees, who can receive up to $2,000,000, must agree not to charge veterans for the service dogs and to inform them about VA funding and available benefits. The Secretary is authorized to provide commercially available veterinary insurance for service dogs obtained through this program, which may continue even after the pilot program's termination. The VA will also implement oversight and monitoring requirements to ensure the proper use of grant funds. An eligible veteran is defined as one enrolled in VA healthcare, prescribed a service dog by the Secretary, and having a covered condition . The pilot program is authorized to receive $10,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, with the authority to carry out the program terminating on September 30, 2031.