Congrats, Sgt. Bo!
We are so incredibly proud of Project K-9 Hero Program Member #340, Sgt. Bo, for winning the 2025 American Humane overall Hero Dog of the Year award!
Sgt. Bo’s recognition at the 15th Annual Hero Dog Awards® highlights the vital role therapy dogs play in supporting communities in crisis. Project K-9 Hero’s support helps ensure that retired service dogs can live meaningful lives while continuing to impact the people who need them most.
“Project K-9 Hero makes it possible for Bo to keep showing up for the kids who love him," said Faye Okert, Sgt. Bo's Handler. "They lifted the financial burden from my shoulders. I don’t know how we would have afforded this on our own.”
Your donations make it possible for us to support dogs like Bo, who continue serving and bringing aid and joy to their communities even after retirement. Sgt. Bo and Faye are real examples of the impact of your support.
Thank you to everyone who voted for Sgt. Bo. You made his dreams of winning come true!
See your company's name in lights! We are still seeking sponsors for our 2026 Performers for Paws benefit concert. If you're interested, send us a note and we will get you all the information!
Thus far, we're pleased to announce the support of: Blackbird Armament; Elanco Animal Health; Animal Cancer & Referral Center; PetMat RX; True North Companies; and Gable Capital Insurance Companies. Many of them are repeat supporters of this event and we are deeply grateful for their support of our mission!
As always, thank you for all you do for our K-9 Heroes. Happy Thanksgiving! We are thankful for YOU!
Unleashed Magazine Issue 2
Are you ready for all the latest news about PK9H? Get your copy of Unleashed Magazine Issue 2.
This edition features K-9 Bond's story of loss and adoption; a heartfelt goodbye to our National Ambassador, K-9 Yoube, and an introduction to our new National Ambassador, K-9 Rikki; and inside look at the music of supporter and musician Payton Taylor; shout outs to our sponsors, and more!
Get your copy in our store for $8. All proceeds go towards supporting our retired K-9 Heroes.
Will You Review Us?
GreatNonprofits.org is a crowdsourced review platform where clients, volunteers, and donors share firsthand experiences with nonprofits to help other potential donors make informed decisions.
We work hard to earn the top ratings from the major non-profit review organizations. In order to stay current on our Great Nonprofits rating, we need reviews from our supporters.
We'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to leave us a review on their site to help others learn more about us. Thank you!
Federal Employee Giving Program
If you're a federal employee, you can now enroll in the Combined Federal Campaign and designate donations to the charity of your choice. If our mission resonates with you, we’d be honored to be included.
Visit the CFC website for details on giving through payroll deductions. Deductions will begin in 2026. Even a small amount each pay period adds up for our K-9 Heroes.
If you’re not a federal employee or active military yourself, please help spread the word. Our CFC ID number is #16508.
NEW ITEM: HOLIDAY CARDS
This year’s Project K-9 Hero Holiday Card features a heartwarming scene of K-9 Rikki playing tug-of-war with Santa, a playful reminder that while Santa has a job to do on Christmas Eve, our K-9 Heroes have theirs year-round. Each package comes wrapped in a red bow and includes 10 premium 5 x 7 holiday cards with envelopes.
RIGHT NOW: Buy one 2025 K-9 Rikki design pack and get a 2024 K-9 Yoube design pack for half price, while supplies last.
NEW ITEM:
2025 HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS
This year, our Limited Edition Holiday Ornaments honor our late National Ambassador, K-9 Yoube.
Missed starting your collection last year with K-9 Axel? Don’t worry; there’s still time! When you purchase the 2025 K-9 Yoube ornament, you can add the 2024 K-9 Axel ornament for half off, while supplies last. No code needed. Just add Yoube to your cart and accept the offer.
NEW COLLECTION: National Ambassadors Apparel
The National Ambassadors Monumental Heroes Collection honors the extraordinary K-9 Heroes who have become the very face of Project K-9 Hero’s mission. Inspired by the iconic Mount Rushmore monument, this design reimagines greatness, not in stone, but in the steadfast loyalty, courage, and service of four incredible dogs: K-9 Flash, K-9 Axel, K-9 Yoube, and K-9 Rikki.
Service to America Salute™ Whiskey - Law Dogs
K-9 Flash Edition
The Service to America Salute™ Law Dogs™ Edition Whiskey featuring K-9 Flash, from Heritage Distilling Company, honors America's four-legged Heroes.
Every bottle gives back to Project K-9 Hero, with $10 from each bottle sold through the K-9 Flash Campaign donated to us, with a minimum goal of $25,000 donated by the end of 2025!
Please enjoy responsibly. Salute Series™ Service to America Salute ™: Law Dogs™ Edition fundraising whiskey is brought to you by Heritage Distilling Co. to honor and celebrate those who serve. Available to ship nationwide to 45 states. Unfortunately, we CANNOT ship to AK, HI, MI, SD, UT. All purchases are made through Heritage Distilling Company. Must be 21 or older to purchase or consume alcohol.
Dog Cloud
Our partners at Dog Cloud create therapeutic dog beds designed to improve mobility, comfort, and quality of life for dogs who’ve given so much. We’ve seen firsthand how important rest and pain relief are for our retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dog Heroes, which is why we’re excited to share this resource with our supporters.
It is especially helping coming into these colder months where a massage bed can help your pet feel more comfortable.
Use code PK9H for $50 off your Dog Cloud bed. And when you shop through our link, 15% of your purchase helps support our Heroes in retirement.
Thank you, Dog Cloud, for believing in and supporting our mission!
November with Redbarn
REMINDER! Redbarn will be donating $5 to us from every 22-28 lb bag of dog food sold throughout the U.S. during the month of November.
Feed your dogs while helping our nation's retired K-9 heroes.
Stock up for winter and give back to PK9H!
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, a 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.
Healthy pets, happy hearts, and a mission you believe in. It’s a win-win!
Admitted to our program in October 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!
WELCOME K-9 GUAPO
Program Member #356
Please welcome K-9 “Guapo,” our newest Pack Member (#356), at our Project K-9 Hero Rehabilitation & Rehoming Facility. He arrived with his Handler and Trainer and got settled in with our staff and his new environment.
K-9 Guapo honorably served as a Dual-Purpose Patrol/Narcotics Detection Dog with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit in Florida. While he had dozens of successful deployments and captures in his young career, Guapo became overstimulated when engaging suspects and developed some serious “unprovoked aggression” issues towards his Handler.
WELCOME MWD ADRI
Program Member #357
Please take a moment to welcome retired United States Air Force Military Working Dog “Adri” (D072) as the 357th member to our Project K-9 Hero Pack!
MWD Adri honorably served with the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, which provides training to Military Working Dogs (MWDs) used in patrol, drug, and explosive detection, to perform specialized mission functions for the Department of Defense (DoD) and other government agencies.
WELCOME MPC REX
Program Member #358
We are pleased to welcome Multi-Purpose Canine (MPC) “Rex” as the 358th Member of our Project K-9 Hero Pack. MPC Rex is retired from the United States Navy, where he completed two tours with SEAL Team Seven, serving for a total of five years.
MPC Rex spent his first years preparing to deploy with the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Command that included an assignment to their Group One Training Detachment as an immediate deployable option. At NSW, MPC Rex specialized in Apprehension, Tracking, and Explosives Detection. His missions included direct action, fast-roping, rappelling, and maritime operations which included over-the-beach, vessel board searches, and seizure operations worldwide. MPC Rex bravely deployed to CENTCOM during two rotations, specifically to Yemen, Africa, and Saudi Arabia.
WELCOME K-9 JAGGER
Program Member #359
We at Project K-9 Hero would like to welcome K-9 “Jagger,” from the Fairfield Police Department in Connecticut, to the Pack as our 359th program member.
K-9 Jagger is an 11-year old male German Shepherd, trained as a Dual-Purpose Patrol/Narcotics Detection Dog, who served his community with distinction and valor from October 2015 until September 2024. Jagger’s certifications include those from the North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA), the National Narcotic Detection Dog Association (NNDDA), and the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association (CPWDA).
WELCOME MWD RUDY
Program Member #360
Please welcome Retired Military Working Dog “Rudy” (C312) as the 360th Member to our Project K-9 Hero Pack. MWD Rudy was medically retired from the United States Air Force on October 20th, 2025, where he served with valor and distinction as a Patrol/Explosives Detection K-9 at Peterson Air Force Base, CO, in the 21st Security Forces Squadron.
MWD Rudy’s active-duty career spanned six years that included conducting security sweeps for the President and Vice President of the United States on approximately twelve separate Secret Service missions. Rudy also conducted 3,748 hours of explosive detection throughout all of his missions worldwide. MWD Rudy was deployed to Djibouti, Africa to Chabelley Airfield to enhance the security and safety of all personnel in the region.
It is with sadness that we let you know we lost five Pack Members in October 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 Bruno
Program Member #185
It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share in the passing of Project K-9 Hero Program Member #185, K-9 “Bruno,” who was retired from the United States Border Patrol. Bruno crossed the rainbow bridge with dignity and honor, in the presence of his Handler and Family, on October 13th, 2025 at 16:42 hours ET.
Bruno was a member of our pack for over three years. He made special trips to our facility to meet our staff, and participated in events such as our annual Performers For Paws in Nashville
Please keep Bruno’s Handler and Family in your thoughts, as he was deeply loved by all who knew him. We at PK9H are thankful for the opportunity to serve Bruno in retirement, and will never let him be forgotten!
July 18th, 2013 - October 13th, 2025
MPC Sepp
Program Member #200
It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share in the passing of Project K-9 Hero’s 200th Program Member, Multi-Purpose Canine (MPC) “SEPP.”
MPC Sepp honorably served for five years with the U.S. Army’s 2nd Ranger Battalion, in the elite 75th Ranger Regiment. During his highly decorated service, MPC Sepp participated in four (4) combat deployments to Afghanistan. MPC Sepp lead platoons of Rangers during dozens of Special Operations and Direct Action Raids for High-Value Targets. His actions resulted in multiple apprehensions of combatants and multiple finds of enemy explosive caches.
Please take a moment to read this article about Sepp from when he first came into our program in 2022 on our website at:
https://projectk9hero.org/pages/mpc-sepp
November 1st, 2012 - October 17th, 2025
K-9 Piton
Program Member #315
It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share in the passing of our 315th Project K-9 Hero Pack Member, K-9 Piton. His adopted family noticed he was showing signs of Gastric Torsion (Bloat) and Piton was immediately rushed to the ER, where their suspicions were confirmed.
Piton underwent emergency surgery to save his life, which we at PK9H approved and funded. Once the main issue was resolved, the doctors noticed that his spleen was also damaged and needed removal. During that process, Piton stopped breathing, and several rounds of CPR were administered with no success, breaking the hearts of the family that loved him so much since January 18th, when they picked him up at our Rehabilitation & Rehoming Facility in Tennessee.
Please take a moment to remember K-9 Piton and keep his original Handler and adopted Family in your thoughts. PK9H was honored to protect you, Piton, after all you had done to serve the United States of America.
March 2nd, 2018 - October 20th, 2025
K-9 EEbbers (T352)
Program Member #251
It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share in the passing of Project K-9 Hero’s 251st Pack Member, K-9 EEbbers (T352), retired from the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration - TSA.
K-9 EEbbers was a 14 1/2 year old male Vizsla/Labrador Retriever trained in explosives detection. He honorably served for a decade, starting at the Kansas City International Airport, then finishing his working career at the Mpls/St. Paul International Airport (MSP).
Please take a moment to remember K-9 EEbbers, as we at PK9H will ensure that he is Never Forgotten! EEbbers deserves that after all he had done for our communities and our country!
January 1st, 2011 - October 20th, 2025
K-9 Chief
Program Member #284
It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share in the passing of our 284th Project K-9 Hero Pack Member, K-9 Chief. Chief honorably served as a Person-Borne Explosives Detection K-9 for the United States Capitol Police from 2016 through 2024, to prevent potential suicide bombers from approaching the U.S. Capitol and our elected officials.
We at PK9H were honored to serve K-9 Chief in retirement, assisting with his medical bills! PK9H will ensure that you are Never Forgotten, after all you have done to serve the United States of America.
August 23rd, 2015 - October 21st, 2025
