A great story in today’s The News-Press of southwestern Florida highights an organization called Project KITT (K-9s Involved in Targeting Terrorism), a nonprofit organization that supports military dogs around the globe. Named for Kitt, the German shepherd partner of Alan Kalfus, a retired Florida police K-9 handler, the group raises money to purchase much-needed equipment and supplies, such as long leads, collars, dog goggles (“Doggles”), dog booties, and dog treats. To ensure that it’s not all work and no play for our canine protectors, Project KITT also sends tennis balls and Kongs, which can be used as a reward for a job well done.
The dogs — typically Labrador retrievers, malinois and German shepherds — are used by all branches of the military to sniff out bombs, serve as guards, assist in search and rescue and patrol places such as Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa.
For more information and to learn how you can help, visit the Project KITT website or visit them on Facebook.