I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8397 

To designate the National Service Animals Monument to recognize the heroic 

deeds and sacrifices of service animals and handlers of service animals 

in the United States, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 

Ms. WILD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To designate the National Service Animals Monument to 

recognize the heroic deeds and sacrifices of service animals and handlers of service animals in the United 

States, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Service Ani5 mals Monument Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that— 


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1 (1) service animals, such as dogs, horses, mules, 

2 homing pigeons, and other animals, have accom3 panied and supported servicemembers throughout 

4 history; 

5 (2) service animals have worked alongside law 

6 enforcement personnel and first responders in per7 forming vital, heroic, and often life-saving support 

8 activities; 

9 (3) shelter dogs are often trained as service ani10 mals; 

11 (4) many veterans and individuals with disabil12 ities rely on the devotion, training, and care provided 

13 by companion, guide, assistance, and therapy ani14 mals, which are increasingly important to improving 

15 the quality of life of the veterans and individuals 

16 with disabilities that rely on the animals; 

17 (5) the Department of the Navy— 

18 (A) uses sea lions, which have excellent 

19 eyesight— 

20 (i) to find and retrieve unarmed test 

21 ordinance (including practice mines); and 

22 (ii) to secure port complexes; and 

23 (B) uses dolphins— 

24 (i) to find and retrieve equipment lost 

25 at sea; 


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1 (ii) to identify intruders in restricted 

2 areas; and 

3 (iii) to detect underwater mines; 

4 (6) rescue dogs and handlers have been used in 

5 many critical disaster settings, including— 

6 (A) in the aftermath of avalanches or other 

7 natural disasters; and 

8 (B) during search and rescue missions, 

9 such as the search and rescue missions after 

10 the 9/11 terrorist attacks; 

11 (7) during World War I and World War II— 

12 (A) homing pigeons served as critical mes13 sengers with tiny message capsules attached to 

14 the legs of the pigeons that were used to send 

15 communications to save the lives of countless 

16 soldiers, resulting in many pigeons becoming 

17 the target of enemy fire; and 

18 (B) donkeys and mules transported food, 

19 supplies, ammunition, and wounded soldiers 

20 during terrible hardships; 

21 (8) the military working dog program in the 

22 United States— 

23 (A) began in World War II with the pro24 gram known as ‘‘Dogs for Defense’’; and 


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1 (B) continues to be an active program in 

2 the military; 

3 (9) military working dogs— 

4 (A) have saved tens of thousands of lives 

5 through the service and sacrifice of the dogs; 

6 and 

7 (B) are one of the greatest assets of the 

8 military; 

9 (10) servicemembers have served on horseback 

10 from the Revolutionary War to the war in Afghani11 stan; 

12 (11) horses have carried wounded 

13 servicemembers and critical supplies in support of 

14 various military operations; 

15 (12) the purple poppy is the international sym16 bol for the service and sacrifice of service animals; 

17 (13) on February 24 of each year, National 

18 Service Animals Day is celebrated in the United 

19 States and throughout the world; and 

20 (14) a National Service Animals Monument 

21 would represent a place of pride, introspection, and 

22 education to pay tribute to the contributions and 

23 sacrifices made by all service animals and handlers 

24 of service animals throughout history. 


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1 SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF MONUMENT AS NATIONAL SERV2 ICE ANIMALS MONUMENT. 

3 (a) DESIGNATION.—The monument to commemorate 

4 and recognize the heroic deeds and sacrifices of service 

5 animals and the handlers of service animals in the United 

6 States, to be constructed by the National Service Animals 

7 Monument Corporation at a location determined to be ap8 propriate by the National Service Animals Monument Cor9 poration, is designated as the ‘‘National Service Animals 

10 Monument’’. 

11 (b) EFFECT OF DESIGNATION.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—The monument designated 

13 by subsection (a) is not a unit of the National Park 

14 System. 

15 (2) USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS.—The designation 

16 of the monument by subsection (a) shall not require 

17 Federal funds to be expended for any purpose relat18 ing to the monument. 

Æ 


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