It is with sadness that we let you know we lost two Pack Members in August of 2025. We salute them for their service and will never forget their contributions to our country.
K-9 Mattis
Program Member #145
It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the news that K-9 Mattis reached his End of Watch.
K-9 Mattis honorably served as a Dual-Purpose Police K-9 for six years before retiring in March of 2021, specializing in Patrol Apprehension, Tracking, and Narcotics Detection. During his career, Mattis received, the Officer of the Year and Director’s Award, making him the most decorated dog in the history of the department. K-9 Mattis also has the most apprehensions and (Felony and Misdemeanor) arrests in the department’s history.
During a criminal apprehension, in which Mattis was injured during a 30-foot fall in the line of duty, he received a Purple Heart for his actions from his agency after suffering a lacerated liver and internal bleeding.
In retirement, K-9 Mattis had several health issues, including Spondylitis and Gastrocnemius Fibrosis. Shortly after his entry into our program, we had the honor to pay for K-9 Mattis' lifesaving surgery for bloat that gave him three more years with his Handler, Mark Tappan.
K-9 Mattis and Mark have been excellent role models for the K-9 Profession across the nation. They routinely participated in community events and gave back as much as they could. They often made appearances at our fundraisers, most recently at Performers for Paws 2025. They have been episode winners on America’s Top Dog, and appeared on Entertainment Tonight, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, and True Crime. Mattis and Mark were in-studio hosts on Live PD, and they have a children’s book out together called, “My Dog Mattis," and another recent book called "A Dog Named Mattis: 12 Lessons for Living Courageously, Serving Selflessly, and Building Bridges from a Heroic K9 Officer," both available on Amazon.
We also carry a K-9 Mattis Collection in our online shop to help keep his memory alive and support retired K-9s like him.
It is a true honor to have been able to support this amazing team as a part of our PK9H Pack! K-9 Mattis was one of a kind. He will never be forgotten.
May 28th, 2013 - August 9, 2025
MWD Zera
Program Member #197
It is with an extremely heavy heart that we said goodbye to retired U.S. Army Military Working Dog (MWD) “Zera,” the 197th member to the Project K-9 Hero Pack.
MWD Zera was medically retired from the military due to heart arrhythmia after nine years of honorable service. MWD Zera served in the United States Army as a Dual-Purpose Patrol/Explosives Detection Dog. MWD Zera completed a tour overseas in Egypt, and has had multiple weapons and munitions finds while conducting law enforcement during her assignments at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Fort Carson, Colorado, and Fort Bliss, Texas.
While serving, MWD Zera participated in over 30 U.S. Secret Service missions, protecting countless VIPs and the President, and the Vice President, of the United States. MWD Zera has supported her local community while conducting thousands of hours working law enforcement and providing force protection.
Please help us remember MWD Zera for the amazing Hero that she was. It was our honor to serve Zera with medical care in retirement!
February 1, 2009 - August 24, 2025