PUNTA GORDA, Fla.–Gov. Ron DeSantis has always maintained that he “backs the blue.” Now he is backing the blue that stands on four legs. On June 10, the governor signed a bill that establishes care for the “retired warriors” of the K-9 force.
SB 226, or The Care for Retired Police Dogs bill, will help caregivers cover veterinary costs for retired police dogs. Housed under the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), funds for the program will be administered by a “non-profit organization dedicated to the care of retired police dogs.”
“We recognize that our law enforcement community must include recognition for our four-legged friends and we’re doing that here today, ” said the governor, surrounded by a cadre of law enforcement officers and K-9 handlers, at a press conference in Bunnell.
Caregivers will be eligible for up to $1,500 reimbursement for veterinary care per year. The bill allocates from the state budget $300,000 this year and is administered through “nonprofits dedicated to the care of retired police dogs,” DeSantis said.
