MOUNT VERNON — Fundraising is underway for a new K-9 at the Mount Vernon Police Department.

Arms of an Angel, a local drug awareness outreach organization, is heading fundraising efforts for another K-9 due to current K-9 Laya retiring in the spring.

Laya is one of three K-9s at the department and has been with the department since 2017, MVPD Chief Robert Morgan said.

Arms of an Angel hopes to raise $15,000 by April 1. The fundraising goal won’t cover the entire cost of the K-9, though it’ll be a substantial amount, according to the chief.

In 2017, Arms of an Angel raised $18,000 to purchase and train the foundation’s first K-9 unit at MVPD. Between 2017-2018, approximately $75,000 was raised for four dogs across the county.

When Arms of an Angel was founded

Credit: Submitted

Arms of an Angel began in February 2009 when Dave and Ellen Culbertson’s son Carl died of an accidental heroin overdose. Since then, Culbertson has advocated for those struggling with drug addiction and the dangers that can come with it.

“The main purpose for the first several years was awareness,” Culbertson said. “I would speak at middle schools, high schools, elementary schools, church youth groups, parents groups about making good peer decisions.”

Culbertson would etch in his story throughout the talks.

The K-9s come from Storm Dog Task Tactical, a police canine business based out of Delaware.

“The procedure is we tell them (Storm Dog Task Tactical) we want a dog. We tell them who the handler’s going to be, or if we know who the handler’s going to be. We answer a bunch of questions and then they try to find the dog that’s the right fit for the officer,” Morgan said.

Approximately $5,000 is spent a year on K-9s, Morgan said, including food, veterinarian checkups and medication.

The K-9 will mostly be used for narcotic checks, along with daily patrol duties.

Tax deductible donations can be made to Arms of an Angel K-9 Fund, 1485 Yauger Rd, Mt Vernon, OH 43050. All funds are managed by the Knox County Foundation. Online donations can be made at https://knoxcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund.

Avatar photoby Grant Ritchey December 29, 2023