Four Brunswick County K9s outfitted with bulletproof vests

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Four K9s with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office are now equipped with new bullet and stab protective vests thanks to a charitable donation.

According to the sheriff’s office, K9s Black, Jax, Pepper, and Ronin received the vests through the nonprofit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.. The vests were sponsored by Sherri Widlund of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and are embroidered with the message “In honor of Aunt Marge Wright.”

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., founded in 2009, is a 501(c)(3) charity that provides bullet- and stab-protective vests and other assistance to law enforcement dogs across the country. The organization says the body armor is made in the United States, custom fitted, and certified by the National Institute of Justice.

Since its inception, the nonprofit says it has provided more than 6,300 vests valued at $6.9 million to K9s in all 50 states through private and corporate donations.

The program is open to law enforcement dogs that are at least 20 months old and actively employed and certified. K9s with expired vests are also eligible. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s nationwide.

The organization accepts tax-deductible donations of any amount. A single donation of $1,050 will sponsor one vest, which has a value of about $1,800, weighs between four and five pounds, and includes a five-year warranty.