Montana service dog non-profit warns of federal funding loss

BILLINGS Dog Tag Buddies, a nonprofit that pairs veterans with service dogs across Montana, is warning that its largest source of funding could disappear at the end of the year and says the loss would have potentially life-threatening consequences.

Isabel Spartz reports - watch the video:

Dog Tag Buddies operates seven training sites across the state. The organization relies primarily on a federal grant, the Wounded Warrior Service Dog Program, for about 80% of its budget, but Congress did not appropriate funds for the program in the fiscal 2026 budget.

It's left many veteran service organizations scrambling to prepare for the abrupt loss of millions of dollars nationwide.

For Army veteran Hollie Koenigsberg, the nonprofits program has been nothing short of lifesaving. Koenigsberg, who