Tester Bipartisan Resolution to Honor Service Dogs Passes Senate

(U.S. Senate) - The U.S. Senate passed Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester's bipartisan resolution marking September 20^th as National Service Dog Day in honor of service dogs in Montana and across the nation. The resolution received unanimous bipartisan support.

"For thousands of veterans and servicemembers across the country, service dogs play an incredible role helping our fighting men and women heal from wounds of wars both seen and unseen," said Tester. "Through National Service Dog Day, we honor these four-legged heroes for their impact improving the lives of so many of our nation's heroes."

Service dogs offer critical support across the United States to those they assist with a wide-range of disabilities and ailments. Service dogs are defined as dogs which have been specifically trained to conduct actions for a person suffering from a disability. These can include seeing eye dogs, seizure alert and response dogs for people with epilepsy, and actions to assist individuals suffering from mental health conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Tester introduced this resolution alongside Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). Strong supporters of service dogs, Tester and Moran successfully led the effort to designate the first-ever National Service Dog Day last year.

"The designation of National Service Dog Day is important to Dog Tag Buddies and the Montana veterans it serves because it brings national recognition to the essential role service dogs play in the lives of veterans and the healing power of a specially trained service dog," said DeeDe Baker, Executive Director of Dog Tag Buddies Montana. "Dog Tag Buddies honors the incredible bond between veterans and their service dogs-true partners in healing and hope, every day. These loyal companions provide more than just support; they offer veterans a lifeline, restoring independence, confidence, and a sense of purpose. At Dog Tag Buddies, we are proud to witness the life-changing impact these dogs have on the lives of those who have sacrificed so much for our country."

"Service Dogs have a proven, evidence-based track record of providing life-saving assistance to Veterans experiencing visible and invisible wounds from their military service," said K9s For Warriors Vice President of Government & External Affairs, Bill McCabe. "National Service Dog Day continues to highlight how invaluable these incredible canines are to our servicemembers, Veterans, their caregivers, and their families. We applaud Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester and Ranking Member Jerry Moran for recognizing this special day."

Read the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee leaders' full resolution HERE.