MCSO K-9 Tigo to Receive Donation of Body Armor
The Montrose County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Deputy K-9 Tigo will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K-9 Tigo’s vest is sponsored by a fundraiser hosted by James Crouch of Bixbi Pet and will be embroidered with the sentiment “This gift of protection provided by Bixbi Pet”. Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks.
“Deputy K-9 Tigo is an asset to the entire Seventh Judicial District, and this vest goes a long way to providing for K-9 Tigo’s safety on the job,” said Sergeant and K-9 Handler Searcy. “K-9 Tigo is excited to work for his community and will soon be able to do so wearing the same protective body armor as deputies. Thank you to Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., and Bixbi Pet for the generous donation.”
K-9 Tigo is a 22-month-old Dutch Shepard that was purchased from Right Hand K-9 LLC in Utah earlier this spring. In just a few months of service, K-9 Tigo has successfully tracked several at-risk individuals, assisted multiple agencies with open-air sniffs, and helped seize illegal drugs.
Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c (3) charity located in East Taunton, Mass., 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 3,500 protective vests, in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a value of $5.7 million dollars.
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 $950.00. Each vest has a value between $1,744 – $2,283 and a five-year warranty, and an average weight of 4-5 lbs. There is an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States. For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org or mailed to P.O. Box 9 East Taunton, MA 02718.
