Massachusetts charity donates body armor to K9 Zedd

GRANT COUNTY — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office’s newest four-legged recruit will receive body armor donated by a Massachusetts non-profit organization that works to provide assistance to police dogs, according to a statement.

The vest, expected to arrive in the next eight to 10 weeks, is designed to provide K9 Zedd with bullet and stab protection and will be custom-fitted to its user.

Vested Interest in K9s Inc., established in 2009 and based in East Taunton, Massachusetts, is a charitable organization, 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, according to the statement. Since its inception, the organization has provided more than 4,000 vests to K9s in all 50 states at a value of $6.9 million, made possible by both private and corporate donations.

A single donation of $960 sponsors one vest, with Vested Interest in K9s covering the remainder of the cost, which can be anywhere from around $800 to $1,300. Zedd’s vest was sponsored by Jim Otto of Stratford, Connecticut.

The vests each come with a five-year warranty.