Canine Healthcare Fund Grant

The Canine Healthcare Fund Grant provides vital medical coverage for SDF-trained canines throughout their lives, ensuring they receive top-notch veterinary care at no expense to their handlers or agencies. Additionally, it extends support to non-SDF-trained handlers of active and retired disaster search canines, covering veterinary costs for wellness, illness, and injury not funded by their organizations. Each handler may receive up to $1,000 annually to help manage these essential healthcare expenses.

Every SDF-trained canine receives medical coverage for the entirety of their lives, even after retirement. The Canine Healthcare Fund ensures that our search dogs receive the best veterinary care at no cost to the handler, fire department, or task force.
In addition, SDF offers the Canine Healthcare Grant, supporting non-SDF-trained handlers of active and retired state and federal disaster search canines and nonprofit-affiliated wilderness search, avalanche search, and odor detection canines with veterinary costs attributed to wellness, illness, and injury that are not funded through a handler’s organization, fire department or task force budgets.
Individual handlers may be awarded one (1) grant, up to $1,000 per SDF fiscal year (October 1 – September 30).

Eligibility

Active and retired Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and State Urban Search and Rescue Alliance (SUSAR) certified US&R handlers (live-find and human remains) and nonprofit-affiliated certified wilderness search, avalanche search, and odor detection canines attached to and in good standing with a nonprofit organization, state or federal task force that does not provide medical expense coverage for their canine(s).Can be used forInjury or illnessPrescription medication (this must be prescribed by your veterinarian for a specific condition that fits within the guidelines of this grant)Physical therapy (this must be prescribed by your veterinarian for a specific condition that fits within the guidelines of this grant)Chiropractic or other alternative care (this must be prescribed by your veterinarian for a specific condition that fits within the guidelines of this grant)Palliative care and euthanasia

Ineligibility

General wellness exams and testingVaccinationsDental cleaningFlea, tick, and heartworm prevention productsShampoo, conditioner, ear cleaner, and any other basic canine care productsHealth certificate for travel (Note: If this is for travel related to a Search Team Grant training trip, please include the health certificate cost in your application for approval)