Girl Raises over $2K to Buy K-9 a Bulletproof Vest: ‘A Really Nice Gift’

An 11-year-old girl in Bellevue, Nebraska, has been working hard to raise money to buy a police K-9 vest.

“He works patrol and narcotics. So patrol being he’ll go out and find bad guys for us and narcotics he’ll sniff for drugs,” Bellevue police officer Jim Bartley told WOWT of his K-9 named Max.

The department’s K-9 unit has four dogs but only two have the vests they need.

“It’s not something we can budget for because the dog’s life, working life is anywhere from 5-7 years. So typically it’s not something we’re able to buy,” Bartley explained.

However, when Izzy Greenfelder learned of the need, she decided to help by selling dog treats through her mom’s company, Dogalicous Dog Treats.

“When we went to their training they said they wanted lightweight, bulletproof vests, so I wanted to help them,” she commented.

In the course of the past year, Izzy raised more than $2,000 to purchase a custom vest for Max that will keep him safe while working with his partner.

“I have a vest on that I always wear to work, and it makes me more confident when I go out and do my job,” Bartley said, adding, “So now knowing that Max has one as well, this is a really nice gift.”

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Dogalicious Treats shared a photo of Izzy and Max wearing his vest, writing, “A special thank you to all of my wonderful customers, family, and friends that helped her goal come true”:

Although it is the first K-9 vest the company bought, it will not be the last.

“Starting this year wear doing dog scarves and now dog seatbelts that we’re putting labels and just different crafts on to keep raising money,” said Izzy’s mom, Brandi Kawula.

“So whether it’s for another dog for Bellevue or maybe one of the other community areas,” she concluded.