OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Springfield Police Department's K-9 unit will now be protected in the line of duty thanks to the support of PetArmor®, a brand of Perrigo Animal Health, and Walmart. In partnership with Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. — a nonprofit organization that provides bullet- and stab-protective vests to police departments nationwide — the group donated six protective vests to help keep the Missouri-based K-9 officers safe.
Thousands of law enforcement K-9s put their lives on the line to protect America on a daily basis. They are usually the first officer to enter a dangerous situation, and help track and neutralize violent criminals, sniff out illegal or explosive materials and search for survivors of natural disasters. In most cases, law enforcement agencies do not have the budget to purchase K-9 protective vests because they cost $1,050 each. As a result, police dogs are left unprotected while fighting crime.
"Our police service dogs are invaluable tools for our officers to utilize, especially when attempting to locate suspects, narcotics, weapons or other items," said Springfield Police Department Chief Paul Williams. "We are thrilled that PetArmor is helping to protect six of our police service dogs. Without the donation, we would not have been able to provide them with this level of protection."
The K-9 vest recipients and their human counterparts are:
- Terra and Officer Jeffrey Ferneau
- Aries and Officer Thomas Spence
- Charlie and Officer Michael Karnes
- Ike and Officer Matthew Shackleford
- Jax and Officer Christopher Rasmussen
- Rocky and Officer Eric Hawkins
For more information about Perrigo Animal Health's partnership with Vested Interest in K9s, visitpetarmor.com/vested-interest.
About Perrigo Animal Health
Perrigo Animal Health is a division of Perrigo Company plc (NYSE: PRGO; TASE), a leading global manufacturer of over-the-counter healthcare products. Comprised of Sergeant's, SENTRY® and PetArmor® brands, Perrigo Animal Health brings quality, affordable flea and tick treatments, health and well-being solutions, and consumables for dogs and cats to grocery, mass, dollar, drug, club and pet specialty retailers. For more information, visit perrigoanimalhealth.com.
About Vested Interest in K9s
Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charity located in East Taunton, Mass., whose mission is to provide bullet- and stab-protective vests for dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the country. The nonprofit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K-9 officers. President Sandy Marcal began working with law enforcement agencies in 2000 to coordinate efforts between various law enforcement agencies, vest sponsorships, fundraising events and the media within Massachusetts. In 2011, efforts were expanded to assist police dogs throughout the U.S. and more than 1,560 law enforcement dogs in 49 states have received lifesaving body armor from Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. Learn more at vik9s.org.
