MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – A member of the Myrtle Beach Police Department K9 team will soon have another layer of protection between her and potential threats.
Myrtle Beach Police report Daisy, a K9 officer on the squad, will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. Daisy should receive the vest in eight to 10 weeks.
The vest is sponsored by BlogPaws, a group that supports pets through social media, and the statement, “This gift of protection provided by BlogPaws” will be embroidered on Daisy’s vest.
Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. has been around since 2009, and in that time has provided more than 2,400 protective vests for K9 officers in all 50 states at a total of $1.9 million. The organization works through private and corporate donations. 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. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org.
