Our Vision
A nation where no service team has to choose between groceries, rent, or the veterinary care that keeps their service dog by their side.
About Us
Wynter’s Fund provides compassionate, accountable support to help veterans and people with disabilities afford essential veterinary care for their service dogs—because their health is vital to the lives they protect. Wynters Fund began with a simple truth: when a service dog suffers, their person suffers too. We saw courageous veterans and resilient people with disabilities forced to delay care or take on debt to protect their partners. We created Wynter’s Fund so no one has to face that choice alone.
About Wynter’s Fund
Supporting Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities—One Service Dog at a Time
Every hero deserves a helping hand, and every service dog deserves the care that keeps them healthy and strong. Wynter’s Fund provides compassionate financial support for veterinary care, helping veterans and individuals with disabilities afford the treatment their service dogs need to keep serving by their side.
Together, we protect the bond between handler and hero—ensuring both can live with safety, confidence, and independence.
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Wynter’s Fund
Who We Are
Wynter’s Fund is a nonprofit that helps veterans and people with disabilities afford essential veterinary care for their service dogs. For many of our neighbors, a service dog isn’t a pet—it’s medical care, independence, and daily safety. When unexpected vet bills threaten that bond, we step in.
Our Mission
To keep service dogs healthy so their handlers—veterans and people with disabilities—can live safely, independently, and with dignity.
Our Story
Wynter’s Fund was born out of love, loss, and a Bernese Mountain Dog who changed everything.
Our Executive Director, Chris Heidlebaugh, and his family were blessed to share their lives with Wynter, a beautiful and gentle Bernese Mountain Dog who quickly became more than a service dog—she was family. With her kind eyes, calm presence, and loyal heart, Wynter brought joy, comfort, and stability to everyone around her. Whether she was providing emotional support, easing a stressful day, or simply lying close to remind you that you were never alone, Wynter had a gift for bringing peace wherever she went.
Through Wynter, Chris and his family came to truly understand the powerful bond between a service dog and their handler. They saw how much love, trust, and independence these incredible dogs provide—especially to veterans and individuals with disabilities who rely on them for both daily assistance and emotional healing.
When Wynter became ill, the Heidlebaugh family experienced the emotional and financial strain that comes with unexpected veterinary care. The fear of losing such an important part of their lives was heartbreaking—and it opened their eyes to how many others face the same painful reality.
Wynter’s Fund was created in her memory, to make sure no veteran or person with a disability ever has to choose between financial hardship and their service dog’s health. Every dollar raised, every partnership built, and every service dog helped is a continuation of Wynter’s legacy of love, loyalty, and healing.
Her paw prints will forever remain on our hearts—and through Wynter’s Fund, her spirit continues to inspire hope, compassion, and care for service dogs and their handlers across the nation.
How It Works
- 1
Apply: The handler or their representative completes a simple application with basic documentation.
- 2
Verify: We confirm medical necessity directly with the treating veterinarian.
- 3
Approve & Pay: When approved, we pay the vet clinic directly—never the applicant—to cover eligible costs.
- 4
Follow-Up: We check in after care to make sure the team has what they need to recover and thrive.
What We Help Cover
- Wellness exams, vaccines, diagnostics (bloodwork, imaging)
- Medications and prescribed diets
- Surgery and emergency care for acute conditions
- Dental procedures recommended by a veterinarian
- Post-op and rehab support when medically necessary
Coverage is need-based and dependent on available funds. We prioritize urgent, essential care.
Why We Exist
Service dogs are more than companions—they are lifelines. For veterans coping with PTSD, for individuals navigating mobility challenges, and for those managing medical conditions, a service dog provides safety, stability, and independence every single day.
But when that dog becomes ill or injured, the cost of care can be overwhelming. Many veterans and people with disabilities live on fixed or limited incomes. A single emergency surgery, diagnostic test, or medication refill can create impossible choices between paying rent, buying groceries, or saving their service dog’s life.
Wynter’s Fund exists to prevent that heartbreak. We believe no one who has served our nation or lives bravely with a disability should ever have to lose their service dog because of financial hardship.
By partnering directly with veterinarians, we pay clinics—not individuals—so care remains ethical, transparent, and timely. Every dollar we raise helps keep a service dog healthy, a veteran safe, and a person with disabilities empowered to live with confidence and dignity.
Because when a service dog suffers, their handler suffers too—and together, we can make sure that never happens again.
What We Do
At Wynter’s Fund, our mission goes beyond financial aid—we exist to protect the bond between a service dog and the person whose life depends on them. Every day, we help veterans and individuals with disabilities get the vital veterinary care their service dogs need to stay healthy, strong, and by their side.
Direct Vet Bill Assistance
We provide financial assistance for urgent and essential veterinary care for verified service dogs. From diagnostics and surgeries to necessary medications, Wynter’s Fund helps cover costs directly with veterinary clinics, ensuring the dog receives the best possible care without adding financial stress to their handler.
Preventive Care Support
Prevention is key to keeping service dogs healthy and mission-ready. We help cover the costs of annual wellness exams, vaccinations, dental cleanings, heartworm prevention, and prescription medications. These proactive steps reduce long-term health risks and allow service dogs to continue their important work safely and comfortably.
Crisis & Emergency Aid
When emergencies happen, time matters. Wynter’s Fund provides rapid-response funding for critical and time-sensitive veterinary procedures—whether it’s an unexpected injury, illness, or urgent surgery. Our goal is to remove financial barriers so care can happen immediately, giving every service team the best chance at recovery.
Trusted Vet Partnerships
We believe in collaboration and transparency. Wynter’s Fund works directly with licensed veterinarians across the country to verify needs, ensure high-quality care, and manage payments responsibly. By partnering with clinics instead of individuals, we maintain integrity, accountability, and trust in every dollar we distribute.
Together, these efforts ensure that no veteran or individual with a disability ever has to choose between financial stability and their service dog’s health.
Because keeping a service dog healthy means keeping a hero whole.