Christmas came early for Habersham County’s newest canine officer.
Last week, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office received a generous donation to pay for safety apparatus for it’s newest canine officer.
After training, canine officer Bane will now be set to start next year with a newly-issued protective vest, which will be paid for by Demorest resident Regina Patterson. Patterson presented a check to the sheriff’s office last Wednesday.
“I just wanted the dogs to be safe,” Patterson said. “I love animals and I want them to be safe in protecting us, and I thought it would be a great idea.”
Deputy Holden Helcher, Bane’s handler, said the vest is critical for his partner – just as a ballistic vest is important for human officers.
Patterson said she’s glad to help the animals that work alongside Habersham’s law enforcement officers.
“This is my Christmas present, and I’m just happy that i can share it with the dog and his handler,” Patterson said. “I just hope that people will realize what these dogs do and what y’all do and maybe we can encourage others to do the same.”
