Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office K9s Diller and Ozara are set to receive new bullet- and stab-resistant vests provided by the non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. The vests, sponsored by the Survival Armor Incentive Program, will be customized with the inscription “Gifted by Vested Interest in K9s and Survival Armor.” Delivery is anticipated within ten weeks.

Established in 2009, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) charity that supplies protective vests and other resources to K9s in law enforcement and related agencies across the U.S. The organization has donated more than 5,794 vests nationwide, valued at $6.9 million, funded by private and corporate contributions. Each U.S.-made vest is NIJ-certified, weighs four to five pounds, and includes a five-year warranty.

The program is open to U.S. K9s at least 20 months old and actively certified by law enforcement or a related agency. K9s with expired vests are also eligible for replacement gear. Vested Interest in K9s estimates that approximately 30,000 law enforcement K9s are in service nationwide.