National City’s Police Department can now outfit their three patrol dogs with bulletproof vests, thanks to a fundraising effort by several community groups.
The fundraiser raised close to $13,000 from a pancake breakfast earlier this month, a raffle and private donations, which exceeds the cost of three vests by about $10,000.
Each dog vest was estimated at $1,000. National City Police Sgt. Alex Hernandez said the three dogs are scheduled to be measured for their vets.
And with the money left over, the dogs will also be treated with their own foundation, said National City Rotarian Glen Loader who helped spearhead fundraising efforts and is involved with the creation of the foundation.
The National City Police K-9 Foundation will be used to cover expenses and long-term care for canines when they are no longer in service with the Police Department. Hernandez said the foundation will be part of National City Police Department’s public safety foundation, the nonprofit the department uses.
“Financially, it’s going to help them when they get older, when they need it,” Hernandez said.
Once a dog retires from the K-9 unit, its handler has the option to purchase their dog for $1, the handler then becomes entirely responsible for the animal’s vet bills, food and must even pay for cremation of the animal once it dies.
Hernandez said the department is responsible for a canine’s needs while they are still in service.
Loader said the foundation would help the dog owner foot any costs.
“When a canine is out of service, that’s when they need the care,” Loader said. “And that’s what they earned.”
Currently, the foundation is in its development stage as by laws are being created.
Loader said once he received more than what was needed for the vests, he had no idea what to use the surplus of money for, only knowing that much more could be done to help the dogs.
Loader said he was surprised by how many people took an interest in donating money toward National City’s canines.
“It touched the hearts of a lot of people,” he said.
He said many people from outside the National City community donated money to support the cause.
Loader, a Bonita resident and a National City business owner, said with the dogs armed with bulletproof vests, he feels at ease that the canines will be protected when called upon.
“I feel like we are protecting them like we should,” he said.
Hernandez said the dogs have a right to be protected.
“They should be afforded the same protection that I wear, as far as ballistic protection,” he said.
