Swampscott Police Dog Sora Gains Some Added Security

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Sora is about to get a bit of protective help while serving the residents of Swampscott.

The Swampscott PD K9 will receive a donation of body armor courtesy of the nonprofit Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. The bullet- and stab-proof vest is expected to arrive within eight to 10 weeks.

The vests are U.S.-made and custom-fitted. Private and corporate donations have enabled the nonprofit to donate nearly 5,000 of the vests to police K9s nationwide.

The program is open to U.S. dogs that are at least 20 months old and actively employed and certified with law enforcement or related agencies. K9s with expired vests are also eligible to participate. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States.

Donations of $960 sponsor one vest with each having a value of between $1,744 and $2,283. Those interested in volunteer opportunities with Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., or who would like to donate, can go here or mail a contribution to P.O. Box 9, East Taunton, MA 02718.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)