If you love dogs, it is hard not to be fascinated by a police K9. These dogs are smart, highly trained, incredibly athletic, and completely devoted to their handlers. But while most of us know them as the dogs riding alongside officers or appearing at community events, there is a lot more happening behind the scenes.
The Snohomish County K9 Foundation supports K9 teams throughout Snohomish County, providing resources these specialized teams need to do their jobs safely and effectively. Today, the Foundation supports approximately ten K9 teams with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.
Supporting a working police dog is a much bigger commitment than simply putting a dog in a patrol car. These K9s require specialized training, equipment, medical care, and other resources, many of which are not fully funded by their agencies, which means community support plays an important role.
The Foundation has helped with K9 acquisition expenses such as travel, lodging, shipping, veterinary evaluations, and professional assistance in finding the right dog for the job. It also helps teams maintain their training and has stepped in when unexpected medical expenses arise.
But a K9 is not simply another piece of police equipment. The dog lives with its handler, trains with them, works beside them, and becomes part of the family. That bond is one of the reasons these teams can be so effective in the field.
One of the Foundation’s most meaningful connections to that mission comes from K9 Recon, a three year old German shepherd with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office who died in the line of duty in 1998.
Recon and his handler, Deputy Jim Gibson, were assisting with a drug investigation when a suspect fled. Recon chased the man across six lanes of I-5 and successfully stopped him. Moments later, Gibson noticed that something was wrong. Recon sadly passed away.
Gibson described the loss simply: “It’s like losing a son.”
Recon’s story remains part of the Foundation’s history and helped inspire the K9 Recon Fund, a recurring giving program that allows community members to make one-time or monthly donations in support of local K9 teams.
His story is also a powerful reminder of the risks these dogs and their handlers face. They run toward situations that most of us would run away from, trusting their training and each other.
That trust can make an enormous difference in the field. K9 teams can help locate missing people, find suspects who flee on foot, detect evidence, and assist officers in situations where having a highly trained dog can help bring an incident to a safer resolution. When the dog and handler are properly trained and work as a team, they become an exceptional resource for the community.
And that is where the community comes in.
The Foundation’s annual Dinner and Auction is one of the biggest opportunities for local residents and businesses to support these teams. This year’s event takes place Saturday, November 14th at Thomas Family Farm. Guests can expect dinner, drinks, live and silent auction packages, and plenty of opportunities to learn more about the K9 teams serving Snohomish County.
There are also plenty of ways to support the Foundation beyond attending the event. Community members can make a donation, become a sponsor, contribute an auction item, provide business support or in kind donations, or simply help spread the word.
To learn more about the Snohomish County K9 Foundation and how you can support its mission, visit scok9f.org. To purchase tickets to the upcoming dinner and auction, visit scok9f.ejoinme.org/2026SCK9FAuction.