HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – Meet K9’s Andy and Blitz from the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office who will be donning bullet ans stab ptotective vests thanks to the non-profir organization Vested Interest.
K9 Andy’s vest is sponsored by Andrew Elliott Rusticus Foundation of Michigan and will be embroidered with the sentiment “This gift of protection provided by Vested Interest in K9s, Inc”.
K9 Blitz’s vest is sponsored by an Anonymous Donor and will be embroidered with the sentiment “Be safe my hero, In memory of Lori – M-B”. Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks.
K9 Andy is a five-year-old German shepherd from Slovakia. He is trained in patrol work and narcotics detection. He has been with his handler Deputy Busse for 4 years. Andy is Deputy Busse’s third police dog. He has previously handled K9 Reno and K9 Ike.
K9 Blitz is a three-year-old German shepherd from Germany. He is trained in patrol work and narcotics detection. He has been with his handler Deputy Williams for 2 years. Blitz is Deputy Williams’s first Police dog.
Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c (3) charity located in East Taunton, MA whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provided over 2,400 protective vests, in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over 1.9 million dollars. All vests are custom made in the USA by Armor Express in Central Lake, MI.
The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age. New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate.
The donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement K9 is $1,050.00. Each vest has a value between $1,795 – $2,234 and a five-year warranty, and an average weight of 4-5 lbs. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States.
For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org or mailed to P.O. Box 9 East Taunton, MA 02718.
