9-year-old boy raises $80,000 to buy ballistic vests for K9 officers

In some ways Brady Snakovsky is like most nine year olds. He enjoys playing baseball and likes to watch TV, especially “Live PD.”

But there’s something that sets the Ohio boy apart from his peers – his desire to help those who put their lives on the line for others.

“He noticed a dog on television who wasn’t wearing a vest and he wanted to go out and buy a vest and give it to a K-9 who was in need on one,” Brady’s mom, Leah Tornabene, told FOX 8.

And thus Brady’s K9 Fund was founded.

While watching the police show, Brady expressed concern to his mother about a K9 officer that did not have a ballistic vest. His mother informed him that the dogs weren’t always given a vest, like their human partners.

This troubled the now 9-year-old, and he wanted to do something about it.

Leah explained to her son that ballistic vests could be quite expensive, so they set up a GoFundMe to raise funds.

Initially Brady wanted to purchase a potentially life-saving vest for one K9 officer, but once word got out about his fundraising efforts, he found he was able to help a lot more than just one dog.

Brady has since been able to raise $80,000 through his GoFundMe and protect a total of 85 K9s with a ballistic vest that not only protects the K9, but allows free range of motion and helps keep the animal cool. It costs over $1,200.

While Brady has been able to vest 85 dogs, there are currently police officers who have submitted their partners for a vest.

“Makes me feel great knowing that not only is he protecting me but I’m also protecting him and it’s a great partnership and a relationship,” Trooper Jim Baker, whose K9 Rexey received one of Brady’s donated vests, said. “Most police K-9 units are self-funded and the majority of K-9 units do not have ballistic vests.”

Brady, who hopes to become a police officer one day like his stepfather, wants to provide as many vests as possible to all the “deserving” officers.

“Helping those K9s stay safe as they help us each day in the community is the least I can do,” he said on his GoFundMe. “Hopefully one day all K9s are provided with a vest, until then I am here to help those in need of one!”