Marion County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Tess will soon be as protected as her coworkers as the department was awarded a grant last week to receive a bullet and stab protective vest for the deputy dog.
Tess’ partner, Sgt. Tyler Creel, said it makes him feel great that she will soon be protected from unsuspected foul play.
“If we’re tracking a suspect who’s armed and they try to do something to my dog, whether stabbed or shot at, she’s going to be more protected,” Creel said. “She’s been a great asset to the department, helping to find little kids that are lost, helping to find suspects that ran from us and seizing numerous amounts of narcotics off the streets.”
Creel added that the department is expecting the vest to arrive within eight to 10 weeks.
According to a press release from the department, Tess’ vest will be embroidered with the sentiment “Honoring those who served and sacrificed” thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. Vested Interest was established in 2009 to provide protective vests for law enforcement dogs throughout the country and has distributed nearly 5,000.
Tess is as much a part of Creel’s family as any other pet is except that she doesn’t stay home when he leaves for the day.
“She knows when it’s time to come to work,” he said. “My dog means the world to me. I’m glad to be getting the vest and being awarded (the grant) and know that she’s going to be good if something happens.”
Each vest has an estimated value of around $2,000 and weighs five pounds on average. Vested Interested “accepts tax-deductible contributions in any amount, while a single donation of $985 will sponsor one vest,” according to the press release. Donations can be made at www.vik9s.org, or you may mail your contribution to P.O. Box 9, East Taunton, MA 02718.
