AKC and AKC Reunite Commemorate K9 Veterans Day

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), a not-for-profit organization, the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, and AKC Reunite, the largest non-profit pet identification and recovery service provider in the United States, are honored to commemorate K9 Veterans Day and thank all who have served.

K9 Veterans Day is the “official birthday” of when K9s first actively served in the military during World War II, dating back to 1942.

The AKC and its affiliates honor and support K9 veterans, recognizing their invaluable service and sacrifice in the military, law enforcement, and search-and-rescue missions. These highly trained dogs display unwavering loyalty, courage, and dedication, assisting in everything from detecting explosives to providing critical support in disaster relief.

Recognizing the critical role working K9s play in our nation’s safety, the AKC Reunite K9 Cop Grant Program helps K9 teams meet the needs of their local communities. AKC Reunite matches funds from AKC clubs to help police departments throughout the United States purchase K9 police dogs. To date, they’ve awarded almost 900 grants, totaling $6.6 million.

“AKC and AKC Reunite have such deep respect and appreciation for working K9s and their handlers” said Tom Sharp, AKC Reunite President & CEO. “We take this time to reflect on what the military K9 units do for freedom and safety around the world. And we are grateful for all the support that helps us assist working K9 officers here at home.”

The AKC and its affiliates further highlight K9 heroes through initiatives like the AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence and the AKC DOGNY Paw of Courage, giving them the recognition they deserve. Additionally, they support the future of K9 detection though their AKC Detection Dog Task Force and Patriotic Puppy Program that has placed over 150 detection dogs in 46 states.

To learn more about how to get involved in AKC Reunite K-9 Cop Grant Program, go to https://www.akcreunite.org/k9/. To meet a few dogs purchased through the program, click here.

To learn more about the AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence, visit https://www.akc.org/about/awards-and-honors/akc-humane-fund-awards-canine-excellence-ace/.

For more information about the AKC Detection Dog Task Force and the Patriotic Puppy Program, visit https://www.akc.org/akc-detection-dog-task-force/

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Posted by Liz on Mar 17 2025. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.