Sheriff’s Office police dogs receive protective vests

Two more local police dogs have received protective vests thanks to fundraising efforts headed by a Vancouver man.

Clark County Sheriff’s Office police dogs Ringo and Jango have received the bullet- and stab-protective vests through nonprofit organization Vested Interest in K9s, a charity based in Massachusetts. The vests were sponsored by a fundraiser headed by Aaron Tyger of Vancouver, the sheriff’s office said.

It took the Tyger family of Clark County less than a day to raise the money to buy the vests for the two German shepherds through an online fundraising campaign.

Each vest will have embroidered memorials to dogs that have died working for the agency. Ringo’s vest will say “In loving memory of K9 Lucky” while Jango’s will say “In loving memory of K9 Kane.”

Each vest is valued between $1,795 and $2,234 and has a five-year warranty.

Other local police dogs have received protective vests through the nonprofit. Tripp and Ivar, police dogs with the Vancouver Police Department, received their vests thanks to Shana Greene of Newcastle, near Bellevue. Their vests were embroidered in honor of Clark County police dogs Dakota and Ike, who were killed on duty.

Vancouver’s Amber Will sponsored a vest that went to Luca, a dog at the Battle Ground Police Department.

Vested Interest started in 2009. Thanks to donations, the organization said, it has provided more than 1,700 protective vests to working dogs in 49 states. For more information, visit www.vik9s.org.