MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Douglas Kahn, co-owner of Cormac Arms and Outfitters in Myrtle Beach, is on a mission.
He’s working to outfit K-9s in Surfside Beach and North Myrtle Beach with ballistic vests.
“So we decided to do a fundraiser to buy protective vests for the K-9s,” he said.
Cormac employs many former police officers, and the store consequently works closely with local law enforcement.
“The cost of a K-9 is very expensive,” Kahn said. “We’re trying our best to try to provide for them. And K-9s are a very important part of a department. We believe very much in protecting them as we would a local law enforcement officer.”
That fundraiser is live on the store’s Facebook page, and has already garnered over $1,300 in donations.
“We’re moving towards our goal slowly but surely,” Kahn said. “We have a huge support from the community right now. Our Facebook page, we’re about a quarter of the way through raising money.”
Their goal is to raise $5,000. That would be enough money to buy 5 vests- three for North Myrtle and two for Surfside.
“Our newest K-9, Siff does not have a ballistic vest at this time,” Chief of the Surfside Beach Police Department Kenneth Hofmann said. “And we are very excited about the offer from Cormac to do a fundraiser and help get the community’s support to buy a vest for Siff.”
He says the vests will be an essential part of keeping his K-9 units safe.
“They need all the protection they can get,” Chief Hofmann said. “They are out there in the worst conditions, doing the most dangerous things on a regular basis.”
According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, a non-profit that tracks line of duty deaths, 28 K-9s died in 2018.
That’s a 180 percent increase from 2008’s 10 deaths.
“As the violence and turmoil in the country becomes greater, so does the violence against our officers and K9s,” Kahn said.
If you’re interested in chipping in, click here to donate.