Total of 11 Eligible ECSO K9s will be Equipped with Body Armor

Buffalo, NY – Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard announces today that an additional six canines will receive vests thanks to a charitable donation from the non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.

A few weeks ago Sheriff Howard announced Apollo was awarded a protective vest, and today the group notified the agency that Ciro, Drago, Loki, Cali, Haso, and Monty would receive body armor as well.  Ciro, Drago, and Loki are certified explosive detection K9s and Calli, Haso and Monty are certified narcotics detection K9s; all are certified in tracking and police services as well.

The vests are sponsored by the Staten Island Companion Dog Training Club and will be embroidered with the sentiment “Gifted by SICDTC, Staten Island, NY”. Delivery of the vests is expected within eight to ten weeks.

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. The non-profit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K9 officers. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provided over 2,900 protective vests in 50 states through private and corporate donations, at a value of $5.7 million.

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 $950.00. Each vest has a value between $1,744 – $2,283 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.

This donation will equip all eleven eligible Erie County Sheriff’s Office K9s with body armor.