Body armor donated for Lewis County Sheriff's Office K9 Kimbo

Oct. 16—The Lewis County Sheriff's Office's K9 Kimbo has received a bullet- and stab-protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from nonprofit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., according to a news release from the sheriff's office.

K9 Kimbo's vest was sponsored by Suzanne Sammut, of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and embroidered with "This gift of protection provided by Suzanne."

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., established in 2009, is nonprofit with a mission to provide bullet- and stab-protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States.

This potentially lifesaving body armor for four-legged K9 officers is U.S.-made, custom-fitted and certified by the National Institute of Justice, according to the sheriff's office.

Vested Interest in K9s has provided more than 5,760 vests to K9s in all 50 states at a value of $6.9 million through private and corporate donations, according to the release.

The program is open to U.S. dogs that are at least 20 months old and actively employed and certified with law enforcement or related agencies. K9s with expired vests are also eligible to participate. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States.

Vested Interest in K9s accepts tax-deductible contributions in any amount. A single donation of $985 will sponsor one vest. Each vest has a value of $1,800, weighs an average of 4 to 5 pounds and comes with a five-year warranty.