Pet sitter seeks help to buy bulletproof vests for Gulfport K9 officers

GULFPORT -- A professional animal sitter with a passion for dogs and law enforcement is raising money to provide the Gulfport Police Department with K9 officer bulletproof vests.

Connie Call, owner of Pet Parent Paradise, said she wanted to do something for Gulfport officers both human and animal. Her company is an insured and bonded pet-sitting service for Gulfport, Long Beach and Woolmarket.

"I've always admired police officers for their will to do a job that doesn't pay much in appreciation," she said. "I just really also wanted to do something that can potentially save a life -- by purchasing a K9 officer bulletproof vest -- and to also get some thank-you baskets together to show our patrol officers and everyone at Gulfport (Police Department) that they are thought about and that we do appreciate them."

Call said bulletproof vests for K9 officers cost about $900 to $1,000 each. She wants to give Sgt. Damon McDaniel two vests.

"That's my super-duper goal, but I would be ecstatic for one," she said. "It's just been something that's been really dear to my heart."

Call contacted Gulfport police on Facebook a few months ago and started raising money via GoFundMe on March 1. She's raised $380 so far. Several local businesses also have donated gift cards for officer baskets.

"Hopefully, we can get a lot done and give these ladies and gentlemen and K9s a pat on the back and let them know that we're thinking about them," she said.

McDaniel said the department has five K9 officers. The dogs -- which go through extensive training with their handlers in Kaplan, La. -- cost tens of thousands of dollars. None of them currently has a vest, and McDaniel said the department is very thankful for the possible donation.

It's the first time McDaniel can remember someone offering such a donation for K9 officers.

"Things like that people are doing for law enforcement across the nation, I think that's very good," he said. "It's good to see that someone wants to do that (in Gulfport)."

McDaniel said no K9 officers have been wounded by gunfire, but "that's not to say that it can't happen." In May, a Hancock K9 was beaten and slashed in the head while trying to protect his handler. The deputy was investigating a suspicious car parked at a rest stop on Old U.S. 90 on May 18 when he was attacked.

Connie Call said she chose Gulfport because of its large population compared with other Coast cities, and she's called it home for more than two decades.

"I really want this to be a big, huge community effort," she said. "That's my goal. I want to get as many people involved as possible."

This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 4:50 PM with the headline "Pet sitter seeks help to buy bulletproof vests for Gulfport K9 officers ."