Officer Dennis of the Gig Harbor Police Department is unveiling a new K-9 program that is beneficial for multiple people. The Gig Harbor community is going to have the opportunity to help Officer Dennis raise police service K-9's!
It doesn't take much time being around Officer Dennis before you understand his passion for dogs. He dreamt and developed this program and is taking it to Gig Harbor, looking for your help. His goal is to strengthen the community participation in understanding and raising police service dogs. This program will benefit the Jaycox Gig Harbor Police Benevolent Fund which supports youth and families in Gig Harbor during their times of need.
Officer Dennis is donating 3 puppies from his dog Tabor's litter to begin this program. He is looking for volunteers from the Gig Harbor community to raise these German Shepherd puppies from 8 weeks until they are 14-16 months old. Volunteers will work closely with Officer Dennis in providing these pups with a loving environment in which they'll grow and learn and become socialized.
Through various donations and his own provisions, Officer Dennis will provide the volunteer families with everything they'll need to raise these pups. Multiple crates, a kennel with covering, toys, leashes, food bowls will all be provided to the families. Diet is a raw, natural diet that will not be free, but sponsored by a local company at a great price. Those who are selected to raise the pups will join Officer Dennis frequently for training and socialization exercises.
Volunteers don't necessarily need a great deal of experience raising dogs. Officer Dennis will work with you closely to ensure that you have everything that you need. He is remarkably flexible and wants to work with families to make sure that the dog and the family is as comfortable as possible. This program is about the dogs and about the Jaycox Fund, so Officer Dennis will do anything possible to make sure that this is a success.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent for a police service dog, you are encouraged to attend an informational meeting on April 8th at 6pm at Gig Harbor's Civic Center. You can also view the Jaycox Fund Foster Program's website for more information. Downloadable brochures and applications are available on that site, as well as Officer Dennis' contact information.
This first year two puppies will be raised by foster families, one by Officer Dennis. He hopes that this will become an annual program, benefiting the Gig Harbor community, other police departments in need of K-9 dogs, and The Jaycox Fund. If (my wife says "when") Sebastian passes away, this is a program I'd love to participate in.
The pups' mom, Tabor, sniffing the grounds.
How could you not want to foster one of these guys?
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