The K-9 Hero Act of 2026 

HOW LEGISLATION HELPS PROTECT RETIRED FEDERAL K-9s

Read or watch to learn about Project K-9 Hero's push to get funding for retired federal Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs through the K-9 Hero Act of 2026 (H.R. 9664). #K9HeroAct

7/22/2026 1:00PM PST

For nearly a decade, Project K-9 Hero has worked to create meaningful change for retired federal Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs (federal working dogs) and the families who care for them. That effort has culminated in H.R. 9664, the K-9 Hero Act of 2026, legislation introduced by Congressman Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) that would help ensure these American Heroes receive the medical care they deserve after retirement.

Originally introduced as H.R. 5081 with the support of the late Congressman Ron Wright, the K-9 Hero Act grew from a vision by Project K-9 Hero Founder Jason Johnson to create a way for the federal government to help fund the medical care of retired federal working dogs through qualified nonprofit organizations.

If passed, the K-9 Hero Act of 2026 would establish an annual grant program to assist with the medical expenses of retired federal working dogs through nonprofit organizations, such as Project K-9 Hero, that specialize in their care. This bill will allocate $5 million of federal grant funds each fiscal year from 2027 through 2031.

A 2017 government report found that the average annual cost of care for a retired military working dog was $1,182 per fiscal year, excluding specialty medical expenses, surgeries, medical supplements, and other illnesses that may develop as a result of their service. Since that time, veterinary costs have continued to increase alongside inflation, creating an even greater financial burden for those responsible for their care.

Once a working dog retires, there are currently no federal benefits available to cover the cost of their continued medical care. As a result, retired federal working dogs and their families often rely on nonprofit organizations for assistance. These organizations must rely on private donations to provide this care for these retired K-9 Heroes, and many of these organizations have hundreds of retired K-9 Heroes waiting for support.

Project K-9 Hero currently has more than 1,000 pending applications, approximately half of which are expected to qualify for assistance through this proposed grant program. If passed, eligible nonprofits could receive up to $1 million each from a total annual budget of $5 million to help provide medical care for retired federal working dogs. This bill will actively credit the dogs for their lifelong service, regardless of who owns them. 

“In the case of Project K-9 Hero, the passing of this bill would mean we could admit every qualifying retired federal working dog currently on our waiting list,” said Jason Johnson, Founder and CEO of Project K-9 Hero. “It would help a huge number of families by removing the burden of expensive medical costs, many of whom are veterans, active-duty military members, first responders, and civilians who stepped up to adopt these special dogs when they were in need. We are proud to have played a part in writing this bill, which was built upon the original K-9 Hero Act of 2019 (H.R. 5081) in the 116th Congress. I would like to sincerely thank Congressman Van Orden for believing in this cause and helping to protect those who protected us on a national level.”

The passage of this bill would benefit more than just retired federal working dogs. By helping cover the medical care of federal K-9 Heroes, nonprofit organizations like Project K-9 Hero would be able to dedicate more privately raised funds to supporting retired state and local working dogs, including Police K-9s and Sheriff's Office K-9s in communities across the country.

 

Jason Johnson states, “For me, this is a legacy as the Founder of Project K-9 Hero. I want to make sure that the work is being carried on for generations to come. It’s time for our government to take into consideration that if we’re going to use them and treat them like Heroes when they’re on duty and during their service that we're going to treat them the same way in retirement.”

With the bill now before Congress, your voice can help make a difference for retired federal working dogs across the country. We encourage you to reach out to your Congressman to ask them to support H.R. 9664, the K-9 Hero Act of 2026.

 

These Heroes spent their entire careers protecting us. Now it’s our turn to protect them.

 

Read the complete bill and check its status here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9664/text

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