RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Corrections’ K9s, including Anubis, Ben, Chako, Cyrus, Doc, Eros, Faro, Farron, Gus, Hector, Jeff, Max, Mickey, Rio, Speedy, Tango, Tommy, and Woodrow, have received bullet and stab protective vests thanks to a charitable donation from the non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. Each vest is embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of K9 Rivan, Virginia DOC, EOW 4-2-24.”
Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., established in 2009, is a 501(c)(3) charity dedicated to providing bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. This potentially lifesaving body armor for four-legged K9 officers is U.S.-made, custom-fitted, and NIJ certified. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. has provided over 5,882 vests to K9s in all 50 states, valued at $6.9 million, made possible by both private and corporate donations.
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The program is open to U.S. dogs that are at least 20 months old and actively employed and certified with law enforcement or related agencies. K9s with expired vests are also eligible to participate. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States.