GAINESVILLE, Fla., Sept. 24, 2019—Gainesville Regional Airport K9 Beamer has received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. The vest was sponsored by Fairwood Pet Center, Renton, WA and embroidered with the sentiment “Gifted by Fairwood Pet Center”.
Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c(3) charity located in East Taunton, MA whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. The non-profit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K9 officers. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provided over 3,500 U.S. made, custom fitted, NIJ certified protective vests in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a value of $5.7 million dollars.
The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age. New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate.
The donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement K9 is $950.00. Each vest has a value between $1,744 – $2,283, and a five-year warranty and an average weight of 4-5 lbs. There is an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States. For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org or mailed to P.O. Box 9 East Taunton, MA 02718.
About Gainesville Regional Airport
Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) serves North Central Florida and the Heart of Florida through all facets of aviation: commercial airlines, general aviation, military operations, medical missions and air cargo. Located in Gainesville, Florida, just minutes away from the University of Florida, GNV provides a close, convenient and competitively priced “gateway” to the Heart of Florida. The airport operates 16 daily departures on American Airlines and Delta with nonstop service to the international hubs of Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami, allowing access to the world. GNV is served by a full-service fixed base operator, University Air Center (UAC). With more than 350 part- and full-time employees and tenants at the airport, GNV has an annual economic impact on North Central Florida of more than $374 million. In 2018, 476,396 commercial passengers set an all-time record of arrivals to and departures from GNV. For more information, please visit flygainesville.com
