EPHRATA — A donation from a non-profit organization will be making one of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office’s four-legged deputies a little bit safer out in the field.

In about 10 weeks K-9 deputy Edo, a male Belgian Malinois that joined the GCSO earlier this year, will receive a bullet and stab proof vest thanks to a charitable donation from Vested Interest In K9s, Inc. The vest will be sponsored by Shana Greene of Newcastle and will be embroidered with the words, “Born to Love-Trained to Serve-Loyal Always.”

Vested interest is a non-profit organization located in Massachusetts that has a mission to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to police dogs across the country. Since the organization was established in 2009, Vested Interest has given more than 2,600 protective vests to law enforcement dogs in every state via private and corporate donations.

“The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age. New K-9 graduates, as well as K-9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate,” explained the sheriff’s office.

Each protective vest comes with a $950 price tag. Every vest has a value between $1,744 and $2,283 and comes with a five-year warranty. Weighing on average between four and five pounds, the vest will provide Edo with an added layer of protective while he works in the field. Edo is one of three K-9 deputies the sheriff’s office currently has on patrol.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city at city@columbiabasinherald.com.