CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Mecklenburg County Sheriff's deputies risk their lives every day when they respond to a call. While they have equipment to stay safe, their K-9 partners are often left unprotected. 

  • A student in Union County is raising money to help protect the four-legged deputies
  • Each vest costs about $2,500
  • If you would like to donate to Max's fundraiser, click here for more information

A student in Union County is raising money to help protect the four-legged deputies. 

Max Milas is in the sixth grade, and for his school service project, he's raising money for the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. Max partnered up with Spike's K-9 Fund, a group that equips K-9s with bulletproof vests.

 

 

Each vest costs about $2,500 but the pricey equipment is one thing that could save a dog's life. 

"If you give a dog a bulletproof vest, they can protect you from people, they can find drugs, they could disarm bombs, they can find bombs, they can do a lot of stuff to help you," said Max. 

"[The dog] is usually at the front, whether we're tracking, or he's going into a building, he usually is the first one to go in. So he's at more of a risk than I would be, because obviously they're going to see him first," said Deputy Edward Elmendorf with the K-9 unit. 

If you would like to donate to Max's fundraiser, click here for more information.