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Sheriff K-9 unit gets health grant

Courtesy photo Delta County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Jet sits wearing the vest provided by Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. The company recently awarded K9 Jet with healthcare coverage so the burden wouldn’t fall on the sheriff’s department.

ESCANABA — Delta County Sheriff’s Office K9 Jet was recently awarded a Healthcare for K-9 Heroes grant.

Sheriff Ed Oswald said the company, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. based out of Massachusetts, approached the department with the opportunity. This is the same company that provided a vest for the department’s K-9 officer.

“Basically it’s like any other insurance policy but this one is free,” Oswald said.

The Healthcare for K9 Heroes grant is awarded to departments who have the financial burden of raising funds to support their K-9 unit, have no more than three K-9s, and have previously been awarded a vest through Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.

With a $100 condition based, lifetime deductible the health coverage, administered by Trupanion, will cover illnesses, injuries — including those sustained in the line of duty — diagnostic testing and therapies. Meaning, if K-9 Jet were to ever be injured or become ill the costs won’t fall on the sheriff’s department.

“(The healthcare grant) is an ease on our budget of course. Any time we have to spend money in one area that’s less money in another. So (the healthcare grant) takes a burden off our shoulders,” Oswald said.

He said he was skeptical at first when the company offered the opportunity. Oswald said he took his time and really scrutinized the information about the healthcare for K-9 heroes program.

“Everything that we looked at, they were just trying to help us out,” he said.

This isn’t the first time companies and businesses went above and beyond in helping Delta County Sheriff’s Department with expenses pertaining to the department’s K-9 officer.

“We’ve been seeing more and more of this type of response towards our narcotics dogs,” Oswald said. “The area’s businesses have really stepped up trying to make it very reasonable to own a narcotics dog, and this (the healthcare grant) is just one more aspect of the donations that we see towards the dog.”

He explained businesses like Escanaba Vet Clinic and Mel’s Lawn Garden and Feed Center have provided assistance in caring for the K-9 officer.

Oswald said there are a lot of expenses when it comes to owning a K-9 officer, like a specialized vehicle, and the community’s response and donations have exponentially helped.

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