Meriden Organization Raises Money For K-9 Vests

MERIDEN, CT - Brady's K9 Fund is an organization founded by nine-year-old Brady Snakovsky and focused on raising money to purchase vests for K-9 officers.

"(Brady) couldn't understand why all K9 officers were not wearing a ballistic vest,"the organization's website reads. "After learning that these vests are not automatically issued to the K9's and are very expensive, Brady made it a mission to raise funds in order to protect those who protect us."

Meriden police officer David Buck is also involved in the effort as a board member. Buck is the secretary of the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association. He and his K-9 Anouke have been on hundreds of deployments from narcotics searches, evidence recovery and the tracking of violent suspects and missing persons.

The organization is currently raising money through T-shirt sales to fund the purchase of K-9 vests nationwide.

"It is essential to us that police K9 officers need to be protected their entire shift and not just when it's convenient to put the vest on," according to the organization's website. "That is why we only donate the LOF Defence StreetFighter vest. The Streetfighter vest is designed so the K-9 can wear it for an extended period of time without fatigue or restricting the freedom of movement.

"At the highest Soft Body Armour protection level (level IIIA), the Armoured K9 StreetFighter vest weighs in at an average of 2.3 lbs based on average working dog weight. With an incredibly low weight armour solution combined with engineered ergonomics and Outlast Thermal Management Systems, you provide your K9 with life saving body armour that protects major vital organs, helps prevent heat exhaustion and allows your K9 to retain full agility and work drive."