Fridley Police K9s Jax and Nitro will receive bullet and stab protective vests, thanks to a charitable donation from Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. and CaJah Salon in St. Paul.
Cajah Salon hosted their 3rd annual benefit for MN K9s in Law Enforcement on September 27, raising $6,300 to outfit Minnesota K9s with ballistic vests through Vested Interest in K9s. Additional vest recipients include Bloomington, Edina and the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office.
All vests will be embroidered with the sentiment "CaJah honors MN K9s Kody, Rocky, Callahan & Laser" in memory of the 4 MN K9s who have been lost in the line of duty.
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 1,600 protective vests, in 49 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over 1.5 million dollars. 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 19 months of age. New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate.
Each vest has a value between $1,795 – $2,234 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 or donation opportunities, please call 508-824-6978 or visit them online at www.vik9s.org.