JANESVILLE About 20 years ago, Janesville resident Donna Morgan was watching the television show Americas Most Wanted on a Saturday night.
During the episode, she saw real video footage of a K9 police officer named Kai, serving the Bannock County Sheriffs Department in 1994, as he passed away in the line of duty.
A lifelong animal lover and farm girl, Morgan was disturbed by the footage and moved by Kais bravery. She decided to make a donation in honor of Kai to an organization that provides police dogs with bulletproof vests.
She discovered there werent any.
Morgan said in 2005, no organization existed in the state of Wisconsin to fundraise for protective gear for K9 units, and only a handful existed nationwide.
Morgan went on to found Wisconsin Vest-A-Dog, a Janesville-based nonprofit organization that has raised more than $1.5 million to purchase vests, first aid kits, trauma kits and squad car safety systems for hundreds of K9 units across the state.
Because of Kai, every dog in the state of Wisconsin has a vest, and weve been able to raise over $1 million, Morgan said.
In the last 20 years, Morgan said the use of K9 units has grown, both in number and in diversity of role. Not only do K9 officers now help apprehend suspects, Morgan said, but they can be trained to detect drugs, bombs, electronics and have become school resource officers.
Wisconsin currently has just shy of 400 K9 officers, Morgan said. Twenty years ago, there were barely 50.
Every department that has or had a dog in the last 20 years, weve worked with every one, Morgan said.
And many Wisconsin police departments rely solely on fundraising to support their K9 units, outside of departmental budgets.
As the prominence of K9 units has risen, the nonprofit has worked to keep up, expanding into new equipment and finding new ways to fundraise.
This week, Vest-A-Dog is in the process of purchasing its 1,000th vest for a K9 officer in Wisconsin.
Morgan works with the K9 handler directly, letting the K9 handler pick out the vest thats best for their dog, and helping them get it ordered. It ships directly to the handler.
Vests have different protection levels based on the caliber of weapon they protect against, and the resistance to stab attacks. And each vest costs between $1200 and $2250.
They know which one is going to be best for their dog, Morgan said.
The nonprofit in 2014 began assembling large and extensive first aid kits tailored to the dogs, which handlers keep in their squad cars. The nonprofit usually assembles 50 at a time, costing around $20,000. Theyve assembled more than 1000 of these kits.
Up north安hen something happens they have to drive an hour, hour and a half to get emergency vet care, Morgan said. I wanted them to be able to keep their dogs alive until they get there.
And, in 2023, Wisconsin Vest-A-Dog began assembling trauma kits that K9 handlers can wear on their belts with the most emergent first aid tools, so if dogs are injured on the call and cant reach the squad, officers have supplies.
In 2023, K9 officer Iro of the Fond du Lac County Sheriffs Office was shot on duty, and survived because his handler used one of Morgans portable trauma kits. Wisconsin Vest-A-Dog paid for Iros medical expenses, until he was able to remarkably recover in one year and return to service.
Wisconsin Vest-A-Dog has also purchased more than 100 heat sensor advisory systems, which are installed into the back of squad cars and
The nonprofit helps K9 handlers find donors for food and veterinary treatment, purchases promotional materials for K9 units like trading cards, and helps K9 handlers with any unique needs.
Morgan has loved getting to know many Wisconsin handlers, she said.
They are a very tight group, theyre so hardworking and so dedicated, and have their dogs 24 hours a day, she said. They have to do an incredible amount of training on their off days.
Those dogs look at them (with) just so much love, she continued. Its just so beautiful. Thats a family member. You spend 24/7 with them, and they have your back, to save your life.
Im a farm girl, so I grew up loving animals, big time.
The nonprofit, with Morgan as its president and four devoted board members, is run completely by volunteers. They go to pet events to fundraise, help order and research gear and work with K9 handlers at all hours. Every donor gets a handwritten thank you card.
It started in my living room, Morgan said. Its still in my living room, and my garage and basement. When you enjoy what youre doing, you dont mind working all those hours on it.
In the future, Morgan envisions recruiting an accountant and lawyer to volunteer with her, and help communities set up their own fundraising nonprofits to support individual K9 departments on a more local level.
The nonprofit is always accepting donations, and volunteers to help promote the organization at events. Morgan said shes also hoping to bring on a grant writer and help with data entry.
In addition to reaching the milestone of purchasing its 1,000th bulletproof vest, Morgan last year was able to talk with K9 Officer Kais handler, and tell him that shed never forgotten his partner.
That probably means more to me, than any milestone, Morgan said.
