Once the dogs retire at age eight or older, they are generally no longer eligible for insurance, leaving soldiers to shoulder the costs alone.

Freed hostages taken during the October 7 massacre are increasingly turning to dogs to help express and work through the trauma of their captivity.

After two years of war, one-third of Israelis reported needing professional psychological support, highlighting a mounting mental health crisis, according to a comprehensive survey released in December.

Freed hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal was finally reunited with his loyal dog, who had waited faithfully for two years while his master was held captive by Hamas.

The soldier and his year-old dog immediately became the best of friends and trained together for the next nine months before the war broke out.