NEW HAVEN — K9 Vincent of the Vermont State Police New Haven Barracks will be receiving his bullet- and stab-proof vest thanks to a nationwide Groupon event. K9 Vincent is a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois assigned to handler Senior Trooper Justin Busby. K9 Vincent is certified in narcotics detection and patrol techniques for the Vermont State Police.
An animal-related campaign through Groupon Grassroots to outfit police K9s with bullet- and stab-protective vests ran from March 13-20. Vested Interest in K9s Inc. is the nonprofit organization and charity partner selected by Groupon Grassroots to participate. Interested persons purchased a $10 Groupon (a tax-deductible donation) through the secure website, where all funds were allocated to purchase ballistic vests for the four-legged crime fighters who put their lives on the line for the community and their partner.
The campaign’s goal was to raise over $150,000 by the end of the event at midnight on March 20, which would allow Vested Interest in K9s Inc. to outfit over 150 police K9s with vests throughout the United States. As of March 19, the campaign had raised $140,000. The Groupon campaign is over, but the organization is still accepting donations through its website, www.vik9s.org, and through the mail at P.O. Box 9, East Taunton, MA 02718.