Four K9 dogs working for the Virginia Department of Corrections will receive bullet and stab protective vests thanks to a national non-profit.
The vests for Diego, Orco, Titus and Tyson come from the non-profit organization, Vested Interest in K9s.
Each will be embroidered with the sentiment “in memory of K9 Rivan, Virginia DOC, EOW 4-2-24.”
Rivan was a K9 dog assigned to the Sussex I State Prison who was killed last April.
According to the VADOC, MS-13 gang members attacked another inmate and when an officer and Rivan responded, the dog was violently and repeatedly stabbed and kicked by the inmates. Lifesaving measures were performed on Rivan but the dog died.
“He (Rivan) lost his life while potentially saving the lives of two people, his assigned officer and an inmate,” said VADOC Director Chad Dotson after the attack. “The VADOC will never forget Rivan’s sacrifice.”
Rivan, a Belgian Malinois, would have turned 6 on April 30, 2024. He was certified in July 2019.
Rivan came from a K-9 family with a strong public-safety tradition. His father worked for a police department in Southwest Virginia and his mother worked for the U.S. Secret Service.
Delivery of the vests is expected before April 1.
About Vested Interest in K9s
Vested Interest in K9s has provided more than 5,800 vests valued at $6.9 million to K9s in all 50 states made possible by both private and corporate donations.
The program is open to U.S. dogs 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.
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