Lookout - Here We Come!
On June 10th, we hit it out of the park at the Chattanooga Lookouts baseball game! As the official game sponsor, we connected with thousands of fans and gave away shirts, HuggleHounds, calendars, and more. It was a home run opportunity to bring our mission to a brand-new audience and celebrate the real MVPs: our retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs.
In even bigger news, we’re proud to have been part of a groundbreaking lifesaving initiative in Tennessee. Project K-9 Hero joined Erlanger's LIFE FORCE to help launch a new program that ensures emergency medical teams are equipped to treat injured working dogs when seconds count. “This is something we fight for on a national level,” said our Founder and CEO, Jason Johnson. “This announcement helps pave the way for similar programs across the country.” For the full press release, visit our press room.
K-9 Callie, our 323rd Program Member, has officially joined our swag pack! A true American Hero, Callie served as the only Search and Rescue K-9 in the entire Department of Defense. Her courage in missions across collapsed structures, avalanches, and combat zones is now honored with her own clothing design, created in partnership with Nine Line Apparel, and is available now in our shop.
We also launched our MWD Reno shirt with New South Trading Co. Retired MWD Reno, B268, is a German Shepherd who served as a Dual-Purpose Patrol/Explosives Detection K-9 with the U.S. Army at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Reno was on his way to having a great career until a severe skin condition forced him into a early medical retirement. He was adopted by one of our team members in Utah.
On July 19th, Project K-9 Hero National Ambassador K-9 Yoube will be honored with a permanent headstone and a ceremony by Michigan War Dog Memorial, located at 25805 Milford Rd, South Lyon, MI 48178. We will be gathering to celebrate Yoube's impact, along with honoring PK9H Program Members K-9 Koda and MWD RRoddie, with headstones and special ceremonies for them as well. The event will begin at 11:30 AM ET, starting with the Jodi Johnson Memorial Scholarship presentations, awarded to six exceptional scholars in memory of Jodi Johnson, a true supporter and animal advocate.
And please don't forget about the K-9 Biathlon at the World Police and Fire Games! The last chance to sign up and compete is June 25th. Proceeds from the K-9 events help support our Heroes.
Thank you, as always, for your support of our Heroes. You are the driving force behind what we do!
Jodi Johnson Memorial Scholarships
We are pleased to announce the recipients of our 2025 Jodi Johnson Memorial Scholarships! This year, we chose six exceptional scholars: Brady Lane, Riley Porter, Joshua Cipielewski, Lilly Colley, Mya McKenna, and Baylee Osentoski.
The Jodi Johnson Memorial Scholarship was created to remember the life of our Founder's sister. Each winner will receive a $1,000 award, paid directly to their educational institution of choice.
New K-9 Callie Collection
Back by popular demand and now available in our online shop: K-9 Callie apparel from Nine Line Apparel!
New MWD Reno Shirts
This month, we celebrate MWD Reno (#163 ) with his own shirt by New South Trading Co. A portion from each MWD Reno shirt sold gets donated back to Project K-9 Hero.
World Police & Fire Games - LAST CHANCE!
Project K-9 Hero is honored to be coordinating all three of the K-9 Sports! Last chance to sign up is June 25th. Hurry!
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“K-9 Biathlon” for active duty or retired law enforcement canine teams - June 28
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“Explosives Detection” for active sworn law enforcement canine teams - June 29
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“Narcotics Detection” for active sworn law enforcement canine teams - June 30
Check your eligibility to compete.
Pitching Change
Turn spare change into second chances!
Support Project K-9 Hero by enrolling your credit card to round up each purchase. It automatically donates the difference and turns your everyday transactions into life-changing care for our nation's retired K-9 Heroes.
Giving back to Project K-9 Hero is as easy as shopping for groceries or grabbing a coffee.
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Link Your Visa or Mastercard
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Shop Like Normal
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Automatically Support Project K-9 Hero
Thank you to Hugglehounds for being a partner to us! Our newest National Ambassador in training, K-9 Deni, just loves K-9 Chief, available in our shop. We appreciate Hugglehounds' willingness to partner with us on these amazing products, available in many places you can buy dog toys.
Thank you to the Chattanooga Lookouts Baseball Team for hosting us as the game sponsor on June 10th! We were there to toss out some toys, t-shirts, and towels, and we handed out calendars and met a whole new audience. Program Member #339, K-9 Anik, newly retired from the Chattanooga Police Department, is pictured here with his Handler. We hope to be back next year!
Many thanks to Black Gold Explorer Dog Food for donating $5 per bag sold at 17 Coastal Farm & Ranch and C-A-L Ranch stores across the Northwest US. We appreciate you!
Admitted to our program in May 2025, 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!
K-9 Areck
Program Member #336
Please welcome retired K-9 “Areck” (Z367) to the Project K-9 Hero Pack, as our 336th Program Member. Areck found himself in the emergency room, with extreme bleeding from his rectal area that required an emergency life saving surgery. Our organization paid $4,245.05 to help save his life.
K-9 Areck, a male German Shepherd, honorably served from November 2017 to June 2022, with the Department of Homeland Security/Transportation Security Administration - TSA in Puerto Rico.
K-9 Chico
Program Member #337
Please welcome K-9 “Chico” to the Project K-9 Hero Pack as our 337th Program Member. K-9 Chico honorably served with the Orange County Sheriff's Office, Florida, from 2016 to 2025, as a Dual Purpose Patrol/Narcotics Detection K-9.
K-9 Chico is a ten-year-old German Shepherd who spent nine years serving his community with valor and distinction. During the tenure of his career, K-9 Chico was responsible for the arrest of 190 criminal suspects, and for the seizure of over 5kg of illegal narcotics, totaling over $100,000 in street value.
K-9 Deni
Program Member #338
Please welcome K-9 “Deni” (A127) as Project K-9 Hero Program Member #338. We had to make some quick adjustments to our kennels, which were already at 100% capacity, as K-9 Deni needed our immediate help in order to live out the retirement he deserves due to a unique family situation that was no fault of his.
Deni, an eight year old male German Shorthaired Pointer, honorably served with the Department of Homeland Security/Transportation Security Administration - TSA as a Passenger Screening Explosive Detection K-9. He was recently retired on January 15th, 2025, after seven years of service. He now lives at our Rehabilitation & Rehoming Facility with our staff.
K-9 Anik
Program Member #339
Please welcome K-9 “Anik” to the Project K-9 Hero Pack, as our 339th Program Member. K-9 Anik honorably served with the Chattanooga Police Department, TN from 2015 to 2025 as a Dual-Purpose Patrol/Narcotics Detection K-9.
K-9 Anik is a 11-year-old German Shepherd who turns 12 on June 15th. K-9 Anik served his community for 10 years specializing in conducting narcotics detection, suspect apprehension, handler protection, building searches, area searches, and tracking suspects.
It is with sadness that we let you know we lost three Pack Members in May of 2025. We salute them for their service and will never forget their contributions to our country. You can read their full End of Watch post on our website.
K-9 Django
Program Member #94
It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share in the passing of K-9 Django, who was inducted in August of 2020 as our 94th member of the Project K-9 Hero Pack.
Django was retired from the Santa Paula Police Department in California, where he needed two emergency surgeries shortly after his career was ended due to Gastric Torsion and complications from it. This left his Handler with $16,000.00 in medical bills and personal debt.
Rest in Peace K-9 Django, we will Never Let You Be Forgotten.
May 12th, 2014 - May 9th, 2025
MWD Uumbro
Program Member #144
It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the news that Military Working Dog “UUmbro” passed away from complications of a liver infection. MWD UUmbro was rehomed through Project K-9 Hero on September 9th, 2021 to Dr. Shirley Meredith M.D., who traveled from Kentucky to Colorado to pick up her new Hero. Pictured here is a photo from that magical day of the two of them!
Over the last 3.5 years, Shirley and UUmbro were inseparable. UUmbro loved Veterans and accompanied Shirley on all of her VA Appointments. He attended our last three Performers For Paws events, and other PK9H Fundraisers. He had some medical issues along the way, which we at PK9H were honored to cover, but the onset of his illness last month was rapid and unexpected.
Uumbro will always be remembered.
February 2, 2011 - May 26th, 2025
K-9 Sara
Program Member #207
It is with an extremely heavy heart we announce the passing of Project K-9 Hero Program Member #207, K-9 Sara, who left us with dignity and honor along side his Handler.
K-9 Sara, who worked for the Department of Homeland Security / Transportation Security Administration - TSA, was a male Labrador Retriever trained in explosives detection. He honorably served for four years, working at the Seattle Airport, the Cincinnati Airport, the Boston Airport, and Chicago O’Hare Airport from where he retired and lived with his former Handler in Arizona. He participated in security operations at national special events such as the Kentucky Derby and the NCAA Final Four.
March 22nd, 2012 - May 27th, 2025
