The Key West K-9 Relief Fund supports the working dogs of the Key West Police Department.

K-9 officers are a vital part of the department, assisting with suspect pursuits, narcotics investigations and more. A canine has the ability to smell 100,000 times + stronger than a human so a properly trained police dog saves 600 to 1000 man-hours every year. They face dangers just like their human counterparts including potential gunshot risks or other injuries, and life-threatening exposure to fentanyl and other dangerous substances.

The fund was started by animal lovers Becca and Tom Ahrensfeld when they heard that many of the expenses for the dogs are not covered by the City of Key West but fall on the responsibility of the police officer who is the dog’s handler.

There is no retirement plan for police dogs although they are known to in retirement exhibit negative behaviors such as aggression, separation anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder. A full 100% of the expenses of the dog fall on the handler once the dog is no longer working, including all food, medication, and vet bills.

The current City of Key West dogs are Jigsaw, a German shepherd born in Slovakia on December 17, 2017 handled by Tommy Anglin; Mango, a yellow Labrador retriever born in Mexico handled by Sergeant Jesse Hammers; and Dexter, a German shepherd born in Florida in 2014 and handled by officer Matt Hansell.

Thanks for your donation which will support our courageous City of Key West police dogs!