Support Our Military Working Dogs Act

To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve veterinary care for retired military working dogs, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Support Our Military Working Dogs Act 2. Department of Defense provision of veterinary care for retired military working dogs (a) In general Section 994 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking establish and maintain a system to (B) by striking for the veterinary care of veterinary care for (C) by striking the second sentence; (2) in subsection (b), by inserting that the Secretary of the military department concerned determines is suitable for adoption or is adopted (3) in subsection (c), by striking the system authorized by (b) Multi-Year agreements with other entities Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (d) Acceptance and use of donated funds (1) The Secretary of Defense may accept donations of funds, gifts, and in-kind contributions for the purpose of providing long-term care for any military working dog adopted under section 2583 of this title. Any amount so accepted shall be available without further appropriation and without fiscal year limitation. (2) The Secretary of Defense may enter into a multi-year agreement with a veterans service organization or appropriate nonprofit entity under which— (A) the organization or entity may solicit and accept donations of funds on behalf of the Department of Defense pursuant to paragraph (1); and (B) the organization or entity agrees to transfer any funds accepted pursuant to such an agreement to the Department of Defense. (3) In this subsection, the term veterans service organization . 3. Prohibition on charge for adoption of military animals Section 2583(d) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking may shall 4. Clarification of research under Joint Trauma Education and Training Directorate and inclusion of military working dogs and veterinary care (a) In general Subsection (b) of section 708 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 ( 10 U.S.C. 1071 (1) in paragraph (7), by striking of members of the Armed Forces with respect to members of the Armed Forces and military working dogs (2) by striking paragraph (9) and inserting the following new paragraph: (9) To inform and advise the conduct of research on the leading causes of morbidity and mortality of members of the Armed Forces and military working dogs in combat. . (b) Veterinarians in personnel management plan Subsection (d)(1) of such section is amended— (1) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph (G); and (2) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following new subparagraph: (F) Veterinary care. .

Summary: Support Our Military Working Dogs Act This bill addresses provisions regarding the care and study of military working dogs. First, the bill authorizes the Department of Defense (DOD) to accept donations for the purpose of providing long-term care for retired military working dogs that have been adopted. The bill authorizes DOD to enter into a multi-year agreement with a veterans service organization or nonprofit entity to solicit, accept, and transfer funds to provide long-term care for adopted military working dogs. The bill prohibits charging a fee for the adoption of a military animal. The bill updates the duties of the Joint Trauma Education and Training Directorate. Specifically, the bill requires the directorate to develop a comprehensive trauma care registry with respect to military working dogs. Additionally, the directorate must inform and advise the conduct of research on the leading causes of morbidity and mortality of military working dogs in combat. Finally, DOD must establish a personnel management plan for veterinary care.