WOODLAND HILLS—The Los Angeles Police Department’s Topanga and Devonshire Community Police Stations organized a car wash fundraiser on Saturday, August 3, to replace K-9 “King,” who passed away from cancer in January, leaving the Los Angeles Police K-9 Unit without one of their trusted animals for duty.
Since 1979, officers from the Los Angeles Police Department have recognized the urgent need for specialized canine work in the city of Los Angeles. As posted on the LAPD website, for two decades, the K-9 Platoon program has responded to an increasing demand for the team’s unique services which now cover the entire city with rapid access to search dogs on a 24-hour basis.
The cost involved in purchasing dogs, training them, housing and feeding creates a burden for many agencies, making them unable to provide the service. The LAPD only acquires canines through public donations.
Following the death of King, the Los Angeles Police K-9 Fund, a non-profit organization founded in 1980 and based in Woodland Hills, has worked to drive donations to provide the unit with a replacement for the department.
The public was invited to have their cars washed to raise $12,000, as according to PoliceOne, to help purchase the dog. Modest estimates for the cost of training programs can run between $12,000 and $15,000.
Those who attended the fundraiser were invited to meet the K-9 Unit, youth officers and senior leads. Cash, the unit’s demonstration dog, made an appearance and showed his skills.
A donation page has been set up for the replacement of King. Donations can be made on the Los Angeles Police official K9 Fund website.
