400 Program Members, Thanks to You!
We are very excited to share that, thanks to the support of people like you, we have admitted our 400th Program Member! K-9 Daisy-Kukui, Honolulu Fire Department's first-ever arson detection dog, joined our program as a milestone admission on July 30th, 2026.
We have kept up our commitment to admitting 52 new Program Members each year and, as long as we can continue to count on having you by our side, we will keep going! You can read all about Daisy-Kukui on our blog, or check out one of the local news articles from KHON in Hawaii celebrating the good news.
Keep reading for more important news about our organization and our nation's retired working dogs. Happy August!
A Tribute to Mike Stanton
We regret to inform our community of the passing of Mike Stanton, our very first Volunteer of the Year and the adopter of two of our Program Members (MWD Dzina and K-9 Pito).
Although our hearts are heavy with this loss, they are still full of the joy of having known Mike. This photo was taken the day he came to our facility in Whitwell, TN, to adopt Pito, and his smile couldn't have been brighter about meeting his new best friend. Mike was a Vietnam Veteran U.S. Army Scout Dog Handler (K-9 Chief), a retired Certified Nurse Anesthetist, and a kind soul.
Each year going forward, Project K-9 Hero will be naming our Volunteer of the Year award the “Mike Stanton Volunteer of the Year Award" in his honor.
Please take a moment to say a prayer for his family and the loved ones he leaves behind, and find comfort in knowing that he has been reunited with his beloved dogs, K-9 Chief and MWD Dzina. Mike also made sure Pito would be cared for. We have found him a new home with one of our staff members, along with a new role as a K-9 Ambassador, where he will continue the important advocacy work he began alongside Mike.
Thank you for everything, Mike. We will miss you.
Vote for K-9 Tambo
This year we were honored to nominate Project K-9 Hero Pack Member #203, K-9 Tambo, retired from the Department of Defense, for this year’s Military Hero Dog of the Year with American Humane Hero Dog Awards! Tambo defies the odds everyday by fighting cancer, and inspiring others to never give up their fight. Please take a moment to VOTE for Tambo today and everyday until September 18th!
NEW: K-9 Kamo Tumblers
Take your favorite beverage wherever the day leads with the Project K-9 Hero® Nomad Tumbler.
Featuring our exclusive K-9 Kamo™ pattern and iconic Project K-9 Hero logo, this premium insulated tumbler is built for everyday adventures while supporting retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs.
Inaugural Project K-9 Hero Golf Tournament
Join us on November 12th, 2026 at 12:00 PM in San Diego for our Inaugural Project K-9 Hero Golf Tournament. This yearly event will raise critical funds to support retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs.
The event will feature on-course awards and contests, a reception dinner, raffle prizes, and auction.
Tickets now available! Reserve your space today.
Rovers Charms
Show off your favorite K-9 Heroes everywhere you roam! The K-9 Ambassador Rovers Charms feature six of Project K-9 Hero's most beloved Ambassador Program Members, bringing a little extra personality to every step.
Each set includes custom PVC charms featuring: K-9 Yoube, K-9 Deni, K-9 Flash, K-9 Axel, MWD Rosso, and K-9 Rikki.
Nine Line Apparel Restock, Now Featuring MPC Lenny
MPC Lenny has arrived as part of the newly restocked Nine Line Collection. Restocked designs include some of your favorites, featuring K-9 Mattis, K-9 Axel, K-9 Callie, and Protecting Those Who Protected Us.
Check it out now!
K-9 Kamo™ Poly Mesh Hat
Built for everyday wear, this lightweight performance hat combines breathable comfort with a structured, athletic fit.
Whether you're on the trail, at an event, or simply showing your support for the mission, the K-9 Kamo™ Poly Mesh Hat is designed to go wherever the day takes you.
REDD® Hoodies
Back in Stock
Back by popular demand! REDD Hoodies are available once again in Pullover and Zip-Up styles.
Remember Every Dog Deployed with our REDD collection.
Redbarn Premium Pet Products
We want to thank our partners at Redbarn Premium Pet Products for hosting a booth appearance for retired Military Working Dog “Reno” at this year's SuperZoo at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their partnership allowed us to showcase our mission to a whole new audience.
Redbarn is also a generous food sponsor for many of our dogs, and supports our Heroes with regular give back initiatives through their product sales.
We are grateful for this partnership and look forward to continuing to work with them towards helping retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs across the nation.
Thank you, RedBarn Premium Pet Products!
Shop Our Partners
Sponsors are a vital part of Project K-9 Hero’s work year-round. Through their generous support, we are able to continue providing critical resources and ongoing care for retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dog Heroes. Visit our sponsors page and discover how they help make our mission possible, and find more opportunities to give back through your purchases.
Summit Animal Health
We’ve partnered with Summit Animal Health to bring you trusted health products for your furry companions. When you shop using our affiliate link, 30% of your purchase goes directly to support Project K-9 Hero, at no extra cost to you.
Plus, you enjoy 20% off your order with coupon code PK9H20.
Dog Cloud
Dog Cloud creates therapeutic dog beds powered by Cycloid Vibration Therapy (CVT) and automated Cloud Sense™ technology. The system delivers gentle daily therapy while dogs rest, helping support circulation, reduce discomfort, and improve mobility for dogs experiencing stiffness, arthritis, or age-related challenges.
Use code PK9H to get $50 off your order and give back 15% to Project K-9 Hero!
Admitted to our program in July 2026, these dogs are now lifetime members of the Project K-9 Hero Pack and will receive full medical care for the duration of their lives from our organization, thanks to you!
Don't forget to check out our BLOG, where you can read about our Program Members as soon as they join!
WELCOME K-9 SANTXO
Program Member #396
Please take a moment to welcome K-9 Santxo as Program Member #396 to our Project K-9 Hero Pack! K-9 Santxo worked as a Dual-Purpose Patrol Apprehension/Narcotics Detection K-9 at the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, from March 2016 to February 2025.
K-9 Santxo, an 11-year-old Male Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd cross, had 154 recorded deployments throughout his career where he provided patrol assistance with narcotic detection, evidence detection, tracking, and suspect apprehension. He also worked with the Missoula County SRT where his trained disciplines were used in multiple high-risk deployments.
WELCOME MWD AMAN
Program Member #397
Please welcome Retired Military Working Dog “Aman” (H134) into our Project K-9 Hero Pack as our 397th Program Member. MWD Aman was retired on June 30th, 2026, from the United States Air Force, due to issues he was having environmentally and behaviorally while working.
Aman honorably served with the 49th Security Forces Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, as a Patrol/Explosive Detection Dog. During his career, MWD Aman was deployed on five missions to support the United States Secret Service to protect the President of the United States.
WELCOME K-9 POPE
Program Member #398
Please welcome K-9 Pope as the 398th member to the Project K-9 Hero Pack, and the newest resident to our Rehabilitation & Rehoming Facility in Tennessee. Pope served with valor and distinction, and we at Project K-9 Hero were honored to be called upon to assist this Hero after exigent circumstances left him needing a home in retirement.
Pope honorably served as an Explosives Detection K-9 for the United States Capitol Police from 2017 through 2026. During that time, Pope conducted explosive detection screening for daily security operations in Washington D.C., which includes but not limited to VIP arrivals (POTUS, VPOTUS, Foreign Dignitaries etc.) Joint Session of Congress, State of the Unions, and Inaugurations.
WELCOME K-9 HAVOC
Program Member #399
Please welcome K-9 “Havoc” to our Project K-9 Hero Pack as our 399th Program Member. Havoc honorably served as a Dual-Purpose Patrol/Narcotics Detection K-9 with the Union Township Police Department, in Ohio, from 2018 until he retired on July 2nd, 2026 for medical reasons.
In his eight years of service, Havoc was an extremely accomplished K-9 with over 5000 deployments for narcotic related searches leading to the arrests and prosecution of dangerous criminals. Havoc also helped apprehend a bank robbery suspect, found key evidence from crimes during article searches to include guns, knives, magazines, hammers, clothes, and money dropped by the suspect. Havoc successfully located missing children, and has had multiple finds and apprehensions on tracks.
WELCOME K-9 DAISY-KUKUI
Program Member #400
Project K-9 Hero is proud to introduce retired Honolulu Fire Department Accelerant Detection K-9 Daisy-Kukui as our 400th Program Member, marking an exciting milestone in our organization's history.
An 11-year-old Yellow Labrador Retriever, Daisy served alongside her Handler, Michael Carter, for four years, responding to approximately 120 fire scenes throughout Honolulu. Daisy was the Fire Department's first-ever accelerant detection K-9. Established in 1851, her addition to the team was a huge milestone. She helped investigators identify ignitable liquids with a remarkable accuracy that played a critical role in arson investigations.
We are sorry to report that we lost two Program Members in July of 2026. You can read the full post on our blog.
MWD LEO
Program Member #228
It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share in the passing of Project K-9 Hero Pack Member #228, retired Military Working Dog (MWD) "LEO.”
MWD Leo spent eight years assigned to the U.S. Army's 69th Military Working Dog Detachment in Fort Carson, Colorado. MWD Leo was certified as a Patrol/Explosives Detection Dog that served with the utmost distinction during his career. Leo deployed in support of combat operations in Afghanistan, as well as two separate combat deployments to Iraq . In addition to his service overseas, he was attached to the United States Secret Service to protect the President of the United States on over 20 missions.
After his last deployment to Iraq in 2021, Leo was medically retired due to a spinal disease that had been increasingly giving him significant mobility issues. Leo remained with his still-serving, active-duty Handler from his final deployment. Leo was in need of immediate medical attention that she simply could not afford at that time. That left only two options, which was for his Handler to go into extreme personal debt, or for MWD Leo to go without help.
Since we at Project K-9 Hero didn’t want to see either of those happen, we placed Leo in our program over three years ago to help save his life.
His Handler had this to say in regards to her appreciation of our nonprofit organization, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You helped Leo and me out during the lowest point in my life where I was so deep in debt, but so desperate to save his life, back in 2023. Thanks to your organization, Leo was able to live the best possible retired life and for that, I can’t thank you enough.”
Please take a moment to remember and honor MWD Leo for his service to the safety and security of our nation! We will NEVER let him be forgotten!
July 10th, 2013 - July 16th, 2026
MPC JAX
Program Member #288
It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share in the passing of Project K-9 Hero Pack Member #288 Multi-Purpose Canine (MPC) "Jax.”
MPC Jax was assigned to the U.S. Army's 2nd Ranger Battalion, in the elite and honored 75th Ranger Regiment for five years. He served with the utmost distinction during his career. Jax deployed twice in support of combat operations to Iraq and Afghanistan. He was trusted with leading platoons of Rangers to safely and assuredly accomplish their directed missions. Jax’s noble actions mitigated risk to each and every Ranger on those missions.
Jax was widely and endearingly known for his "chaotic" and business-first attitude. His presence was felt by all of came across his path. Not only was he mission capable, but he was always a friend on deployments. He loved movie nights with the boys, and was considered min-force before you could press play. He enjoyed the retired life with his Handler and his family, long walks, endless kongs, and much earned R&R.
MPC Jax has served our country with distinction. We were honored to cover all medical costs at 100% for MPC Jax in his retirement. It was the least we could do for him after all he had done for our country!
Please take a moment to remember MPC Jax for the absolute Hero that he was!
April 14th, 2016 - July 21st, 2026
