Please Welcome K-9 Kane #316

Please welcome K-9 “Kane” to the Project K-9 Hero Pack, as our 316th Program Member. Kane honorably served at the San Leandro Police Department, from 2020 to 2022, as a Dual-Purpose Patrol/Narcotics Detection K-9.

Kane and his Handler were involved in an OIS (Officer Involved Shooting) while Kane was just on his third day of patrol, after graduating K-9 School and certifying. Kane’s Handler stated, “I should have been killed, and it was through this shared experience that we found a way forward. While I was on leave, training with Kane became a form of regulation for me—a modality that helped me navigate an incredibly challenging period in my life.” Kane also suffered from multiple Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) Symptoms and extreme Separation Anxiety from his Handler.

By 2023, both of them had been medically retired from Law Enforcement from unfathomable indivisible scars their shared critical incident left them with. Needing a new purpose, his Handler co-founded Runestone Ranch to help with the issues that ended both of their careers early. Kane played a significant role in the creation of the nonprofit organization in his own way, according to his Handler. Runestone Ranch is a peer-based initiative that will serve as a retreat for first responders. Their mission is to provide education on Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI), burnout, and the importance of setting boundaries, all while integrating regulation techniques to create resilience.

Kane’s Handler stated, “this whole journey has given me an insight that PTSI doesn't only affect us but also our partners, whether they are human or canine. When they are better, we are better. The bond Kane and I share is a testament to resilience, and together, we "made it" to help in creating something beautiful. This shared strength and recovery became the foundation in giving me the confidence for co-founding Runestone Ranch.”