Over a dozen police K-9’s are killed each year. Most are shot or stabbed by the suspects they are attempting to apprehend. K-9 police dogs are an important and necessary part of crime prevention. Every day they carry out their dangerous work to keep us safe. They deserve the same level of protection as their human partners. They deserve bullet proof & stab proof vests. Sadly, many law enforcement agencies and police departments do not have the funds to purchase body armor that can save the lives of their police dogs. The cost of each vest is around $850 – $1000 depending on which vest best suits each dog. In July Mounds donated $0.50 per 35 lb. bag of Mounds Dog Power sold to help purchase safety vests for local police K-9’s. Thanks to you we were able to raise enough funds to vest two local police K-9’s.

K-9 Alex is 6 year old Black Lab Police Dog trained to detect narcotics, track suspects or missing people, and locate evidence. He joined the Waunakee Police Department in 2007 and has been working with Sgt. Adam Kreitzman. K-9 Alex was born in Greene, Iowa and was trained locally by a trainer from the North American Police Workdog Association. When Alex is not working he enjoys playing fetch, swimming, meeting new people and taking long naps.

K-9 Sasha is a 1 ½ year old German Shepherd Police Dog trained in criminal apprehension, tracking, handler protection, building searches, and drug detection. Sasha is currently the only female police K-9 working for the Rock County Sheriff’s office. Sasha works with Deputy Nathan DeBoer. K-9 Sasha was trained at Tarheel K9 in Sanford, NC. Sasha is very friendly and a hugger. She likes to put her front paws up around your hips. When Sasha is not working she enjoys playing with her tug toy and playing keep away with her toys.

The vests for the new K-9’s will be provided by Wisconsin Vest-A-Dog. Wisconsin Vest-A-Dog was started in 2005 and is a non-profit, tax deductible organization endorsed by the Wisconsin Veterinary Association. Every donation is used for the purchase and shipping of vests and other protective equipment. The goal of the VEST-A-DOG program is to provide a bullet proof and stab proof vest for every police dog in Wisconsin. The vests are the only protection these K-9 officers have until their human partners arrive on the scene. All vests are bulletproof and stab proof. In addition, they minimize blunt trauma injuries. In the past 10 years, bullet, stab or blunt trauma injuries caused 60% of police dog deaths. The manufacturer’s warranty for the vests varies but is usually 5 years. Many vests are adjustable and can also come in various sizes. For more information on how you can help vest a local police K-9 go to the Wisconsin Vest-A-Dog program website www.wivestadog.org.