BLOOMINGTON, Ill.,
07
October
2019
|
12:07 PM
America/Chicago

Events Oct. 12 at Petco Stores Across the Country

Meet Arson Dog Teams and Other Animal Helping Heroes

Heroes walk among us every day. Some of them have four legs instead of two.

Arson K9 Kaimi is one of those dogs. K9 Kaimi is the first and oldest serving arson dog in Hawaii. Abandoned at a California shelter when he was seven months old, things didn’t look good for the young yellow Lab. Most pet adopters are looking for a calm pet or lap dog, not a dog with an energy level that doesn’t stop. Thankfully a shelter worker took notice of his enthusiasm and work drive. They contacted a local fire investigator, who reached out to trainers with the State Farm® Arson Dog Program.

In April 2008, K9 Kaimi met and trained with his new human partner, Assistant Fire Chief Robert (Bobby) Perreira. After five weeks of training, they became a certified team for the county and state. Since then, K9 Kaimi has worked hundreds of fires across the Hawaiian Islands, finding evidence that helps local police and fire departments during arson investigations.

Assistant Fire Chief Robert Perreira and K9 Kaimi will be at the Petco store in Hilo, Hawaii, on Oct. 12 for the Petco Foundation Meet a Helping Hero campaign. It will be one of his last public events. K9 Kaimi will retire from service in December 2019 after serving the residents of Hawaii for 11 ½ years. Nearly 13 years old, K9 Kaimi may be a little slower, but his nose is still sharp.

State Farm will have 47 arson dogs and handlers at Petco stores as part of the Meet a Helping Hero campaign. The campaign highlights how working animals transform lives by providing comfort, support, and assistance. The campaign also raises money to support animal shelters, rescues, and working dog organizations.

The Petco Foundation has provided over $60,000 in grants to police and fire department with certified arson dog teams. These grants help with expenses related to care, maintenance, and annual recertification of dogs like K9 Kaimi.

Therapy, service, and working animals will be at Petco stores on Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. local time. Visit the Petco Foundation Meet a Helping Hero website to find participating stores.

About State Farm®:

For over 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and 67,000 employees serve over 91 million policies and accounts – including auto, fire, lifehealth, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for rentersbusiness ownersboats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 44 on the 2023 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.