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, visit
petarmor.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.
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SOURCE Perrigo Animal Health