by Ray Newton
Prescott Valley resident Amber Riley’s early love of animals, especially dogs, led her into an adult career that often finds opportunities to raise funds to support buying bulletproof vests for K9 police dogs.
Riley has owned and operated K9Synergy for six years in Prescott Valley.
On Sept 25, through cooperation with Amanda Howard — a law enforcement officer in Phoenix who with her company called The Thin Blue Line Canines of Great Valor — they collaborated with Prescott Valley Police and its K9-squad in a fundraiser to buy bulletproof vests for police dogs.
Assisted by donated support from Findlay Subaru-Prescott, they gathered on the car lot from 3 to 7 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon. Several vendors conducted raffles, silent auctions and other activities as they circulated among the crowd, explaining their purpose.
The Prescott Valley K9-squad comprised of Jerry Ellison, Tim Creager, Tanner Persson and Keven O’Hagan — assisted. They led several of their dogs through vigorous training exercises I which the dogs exhibited their discipline. For instance, officers, using voice and hand signals, had the dogs run, creep, circle, dance and when directed, attack a heavily protected officer until told to stop.
Several hundred people met the women, police and dogs during the four-hour program.
“We want our Quad City communities to show their support in every way possible for our beleaguered law enforcement officials,” Riley and Howard said.
They had set a goal of raising $6,000. “Each vest for a dog costs about $2,900, so we hoped to get money enough to buy two. Every penny we get goes to support purchase of those vests for the dogs,” Riley said.
Disappointed they fell short of their goal, Howard said they did raise about $2,000, and pledges were still coming in.
She added: “We’ll continue sponsoring similar events in the area, for it is critical that we help law enforcement officers in protecting these highly trained and well-disciplined dogs.”
Riley and her firm have trained and rehabilitated dogs from throughout central and northern Arizona for several years.
For more contact information go to www.facebook.com/K9SYNERGYPRESCOTT.
