Thank you for Supporting this Important Community Cause.

As this year’s Platinum Sponsor, thank you for joining our veterinary hospital staff and other members of our community on Thursday, September 22 for the 11th Annual Howling Good Time Gala at Cielo at Castle Pines. It was a wonderful evening with entertainment, auction items, good company, and the chance to meet DCSO K-9 Unit Officers — both human and canine. Proceeds from the gala and all other donations go to the DCSO K-9 Unit. Even if were unable to attend, you can still help! Please consider visiting the K-9 Friends website to make a donation and learn more about these amazing and courageous K-9 officers and their human partners.

ABOUT THE EVENT

WHAT: Fundraiser to support the Douglas County K-9 Unit. WHEN: Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm. WHERE: Cielo Events Center at Castle Pines, Colorado.

Howling Good Time Gala Sponsorship Press Release  (September 8, 2022) As this year’s Platinum Sponsor, we hope you’ll register to join us for the 11th Annual Howling Good Time Gala. This go-to Douglas County event is not only a fun and inspirational evening, but all proceeds go to support hero dogs found in the Douglas County K-9 Unit. K-9 officers and their human police deputy partners provide a safer local community, saving lives, assisting with arrests in Douglas County and surrounding areas, and protecting people. Thanks to generous donors and annual attendees of the gala, over the years, Friends of Douglas County K-9 has raised enough money to pay for the entire team of six K-9 officers, a wellness support dog, and four other K-9 officers. Last year’s overwhelming support was instrumental in securing the unit’s newest K-9 officer, Dozer.

Why The Friends of Douglas County K-9 Needs Your Help This Year

Earlier this year, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office announced its plans for a new state-of-the-art K-9 Unit training center which will support enhanced training methods and will better support both the unit’s officers and our community. Your attendance at the gala and/or donations will go a long way in making this new facility possible. We hope to see you on September 22!

HISTORY OF THE FRIENDS OF DOUGLAS COUNTY K-9

In 2011, when two of the four dogs on the K-9 Unit in Douglas County were about to retire, their long-time veterinarians wanted to do more for the K-9 Officers who had given so much to the local community. At the time, the DCSO did not have the budget to replace the retiring police dogs, so supporters founded the public charity, Friends of Douglas County K-9, or K-9 Friends, as it’s affectionately known. Since 2011, K-9 Friends and your donations have helped the DCSO K-9 Unit acquire nine new K-9 officers as well as their first-ever therapy and service dog. K-9 Friends has also helped the DCSO to acquire Kevlar vests that are custom-fit to the K-9 officers and has enabled extensive training and specialized equipment, empowering the K-9 Unit to become one of the best in the country.

WHEN HERO DOGS RETIRE

While the DCSO funds vehicles and its deputies’ salaries, your community donations fund nearly all of the DCSO K-9 Unit’s costs. Plus, when a DCSO K-9 retires, the deputy who has worked with the dog always purchases him or her from the DCSO for $1. After this, that deputy becomes the dog’s owner and is completely responsible for the dog’s care which often includes extensive and costly veterinary and medical services. K-9 Friends works tirelessly to provide retired hero dogs with exceptional veterinary care, relieving the need for the deputy owner to pay the high costs.