SOUTHAVEN, Mississippi — Two Southaven Police Department K9s received bullet- and stab-protective vests through a donation from the nonprofit Vested Interest in K9s Inc., the department said.
K9s Raptor and Zargo were each outfitted with custom protective vests sponsored by the charity, the department said. The vests are embroidered with the message: “In memory of K9 Luca, DeSoto County, MS – EOW 2/21/24,” according to the department.
Vested Interest in K9s Inc., founded in 2009, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides protective vests and other assistance to law enforcement dogs and related agencies across the United States, the organization said. The group says the body armor is made in the United States, custom-fitted and certified by the National Institute of Justice.
Since its founding, the nonprofit said it has provided more than 6,348 vests valued at $6.9 million to K9s in all 50 states. The program is open to U.S. law enforcement dogs that are at least 20 months old, actively employed and certified with a law enforcement or related agency; dogs with expired vests also are eligible, the organization said. Each vest is valued at $1,800, weighs about four to five pounds and includes a five-year warranty. More information is available at vik9s.org.
