Hi! My name is Bella Ziegler, and I'm a senior at Lyme-Old Lyme High School. For my senior project, I’m raising money to support K9 Vader and the Connecticut State Police K9 Unit. Vader is a hardworking Connecticut State Police Patrol Dog who is presently assigned to Troop E in Montville.

Vader goes to work every day keeping our community safe. Whether he’s tracking down suspects, helping with search and rescue, or just being an awesome partner to his handler, Trooper Xavier Crawford, Vader gives it his all, but unfortunately, he doesn’t have a protective vest yet. The protective vest is super important for his safety when going to certain calls for service! These are amazing dogs that are brave, loyal, and put themselves in dangerous situations to protect us. Vader deserves to be just as safe as Trooper Crawford. A bulletproof and stab-resistant vest would make a huge difference, giving him the protection he needs without slowing him down.

Goal- I’m hoping to raise $1,500 to assist the K9 unit in buying a vest that’s designed to keep Vader and other K9's in the State Police safe while still allowing them to do their job. It’s a big goal, but I know we can make it happen!

How You Can Help- Any donation no matter the size will get us one step closer to keeping K9's like Vader safe! Sharing this page would also be amazing! The more people who see it, the better chance I have of reaching my goal. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this and for any support you can give! Vader, the Connecticut State K9 Unit and I really appreciate it!