JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville-area nonprofit is gearing up to hold its annual law enforcement K-9 competition on Saturday.
The event will showcase the skills of 15 police dogs that protect and serve our communities across the state and here in northeast Florida.
One of those dogs competing is K-9 Ace. He and his handler, Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Konner Achors, share a bond like no other.
“When he’s having a bad day, I’m having a bad day,” Achors said. “When I’m having a bad day, he’s having a bad day.”
Trooper Achors has been Ace’s Handler for about 7 years.
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“You spend so much time with an animal that you work with every day, that you trust your life with,” Achors said.
When it comes to training, the two have put in countless hours.
They get to showcase all the hard work done daily at the K9s United annual competition.
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“You get to do some agility work, some obstacles, some apprehension, some recalls, things that we spend thousands of hours of training with these dogs,” Achors said.
All money raised at the competition will benefit K9s United and its mission of supporting law enforcement K-9 units here in northeast Florida.
“We mainly donate equipment that’s not being met with agency budget,” Debbie Johnson, the founder of K9s United, said. “So we’ve donated anywhere from a dog to bulletproof vests, to heat alarms, tracking harnesses, all different types of equipment that is needed in the K-9 world.”
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K-9 Ace was crowned the top dog in the first year of this competition. And now as the competition enters its third year, Ace and Achors are hoping to take the crown back again.
“I’m here to show everybody that I do have the best dog out there,” Achors said.
And while winning it all is the goal, Achors said the comradery is the best part of it all.
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“When you come out to these competitions, you get to meet a lot of handlers from all over the state, people that you don’t get to work with every day,” Achors said.
The competition will be held at the Bishop Kenny High School Athletic Complex on Saturday, Nov. 16th from 1-5 p.m.
Tickets are $5 for adults, and kids 18 and under free. Parking is free.
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