16 y.o. is a police dog’s best friend
Published: June 7, 2005
With a horse named “Outlaw,” it’s almost ironic that Candice Crawford has helped to protect the lives of Monterey County and Salinas police dogs.
She has single-handedly raised enough money to buy protective vests for law enforcement dogs in Monterey County, and still has some vests to give away.
Crawford, who lives in Royal Oaks, got the inspiration for her program “vest-a-dog” when she read a story in “Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul” about a girl in San Diego County who raised money to provide expensive bulletproof and knife-deflecting vests for K-9 animals.
She also had heard that during the Vietnam War many service dogs were killed in the line of duty, and decided she’d like to prevent more combat-related deaths for dogs in law enforcement.
The vests cost about $560 each, Crawford said. In order to raise the money, she set out donation jars in Prunedale restaurants and anywhere else that would allow them, and also held bake sales.
On Wednesday, Crawford will be recognized for her efforts as a Good Samaritan youth hero, along with eight other heroes in various categories, by the American Red Cross. The honors will be conferred at a 7:30 a.m. breakfast at the Embassy Suites in Seaside.
Crawford raised enough money to buy vests for all five of the police dogs in the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and Salinas Police Department, plus pay for a spare vest that she is looking to give away. She still has enough money left over in an account set aside for donations to buy three more vests.
“Incredible young lady,” said Sgt. Joe Pedroza, longtime K-9 handler and head of the unit for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. “She purchased three of four vests for our program.” The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office currently has three police dogs.
Crawford, 16, graduates early from high school this month and is headed to Cal Poly University where she will major in architectural engineering.
Meanwhile, she hopes to extend the vest-a-dog program to Santa Cruz County but is not sure whether she will have time.
“I’m hoping to, but I am going to college in three months,” said Crawford. “If I don’t, I will continue (the program) over in San Luis Obispo.”
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