It’s no secret that much-needed service dogs come at a huge cost. Adopting a trained service dog racks up a bill between $10,000 to $30,000, sometimes rising even higher. For many in desperate need of a service animal, this cost presents a large barrier. However, the actions of some individuals and organizations to provide free service dogs give hope that this obstacle might become a thing of the past. VetDogs is one such program that’s working hard to make a difference for those in need of service dogs.
A Solution for Those in Need
America’s VetDogs, formed in 20o3, has one purpose: to train service dogs. This costs the organization over $50,000 per pup. After training, VetDogs places the service dog with new owners for no cost. This program, often associated solely with veterans, serves multiple groups in need of services animals. America’s VetDogs makes service dogs accessible to vets, first responders injured on the job, and those with vision or hearing impairments or other physical disabilities. This program is particularly important since service dogs, despite being recognized as an important tool for many, are rarely covered as a medical need by insurers.
Raising Awareness for Service Animals
Hopefully, as we enter a new age of awareness of the importance of service animals, there will be a decrease in independent fundraising in order to match people with much-needed service dogs. Operation Delta Dog is another organization matching people with their service dogs. They also cut costs by using homeless pets rather than purebreds in their training programs. An increasing number of programs looking to provide free service dogs gives us hope.
