In September, the Operation Freedom Paws team traveled to Washington, D.C. alongside our partners at Purina Dog Chow to advocate for stronger support and access to service dogs for our nation’s veterans. Together, we met with members of Congress and their staff to discuss the SAVES Act, a bill that would help ensure more veterans can benefit from the life-changing partnership of a trained service dog.

During our visit, we had the opportunity to meet with Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Congressman Wesley Bell, and staff from the offices of Congresswoman Stephanie Bice, Senator Bernie Moreno, Senator Jon Husted, Senator Adam Schiff, and Senator Alex Padilla. These discussions centered on how organizations like Operation Freedom Paws are helping veterans regain confidence, independence, and stability through the support of highly trained service dogs.

Through Purina Dog Chow’s Service Dog Salute program, more than $1.8 million has been raised since 2018 to support organizations like Operation Freedom Paws, which train and pair service dogs with veterans in need. Together, we’ve helped impact more than 2,100 veteran lives and donated over 100,000 pounds of dog food to service dog programs across the country.

Operation Freedom Paws is honored to stand alongside Purina and our partners in pushing this effort forward. Our trip to Washington reaffirmed our commitment to making sure every veteran who could benefit from a service dog has the opportunity to be paired with one. We’re inspired by the progress made, grateful for the conversations we had, and more determined than ever to keep fighting for our veterans and their four-legged heroes.