K9 PTSD Center

10/23/2026

🐾 WELCOME, K9 RIP! 🐾

We are honored to welcome K9 RIP from the Bristol County Sheriff’s Department to the K9 PTSD Research Center.

We also want to recognize and thank the Bristol County Sheriff’s Department for understanding something that is incredibly important: a K9 Hero’s ability to continue serving is not determined only by physical health. Psychological and emotional well-being matter, too.

Working K9s give everything they have to their handlers, their departments, and the communities they protect. Sometimes the greatest act of respect we can show them is recognizing when physical limitations or psychological stress mean it is time for their service to end.

We are deeply grateful when a department puts the mental health and overall well-being of its K9s first.

K9 RIP has served. K9 RIP has earned his retirement. And now, we are honored to be part of the next chapter of his life.

Welcome to the family, K9 RIP. You’ve earned it, Hero. ❤️🐾

10/20/2026

So many of you came out to support these heroes—and we will never forget it. ❤️🐾

To everyone who joined us for the K9 Heroes Awards and 5K Race for the K9 Heroes, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. The turnout for our very first year was truly incredible. Seeing so many people come together to honor these K9 heroes made this day more meaningful than words can express.

We especially remember K9 Kitt and K9 Frankie, who made the ultimate sacrifice for our safety. Their courage, service, and sacrifice will never be forgotten, and it was an honor to recognize their legacy alongside the handlers and families who continue to carry their memory forward.

(Pictured) K9 Flexx of the Springfield Police Department was one of our 2026 K9 of the Year Award winners. Although K9 Flexx was unable to attend the ceremony, he is now proudly showing off his well-deserved award! Handled by K9 Officer Eric Blair, K9 Flexx represents the courage, loyalty, and dedication we created these awards to honor. 🏅🐾

Congratulations to the runners from the Falmouth Police Department who took first place in both the adult male and adult female categories! Thank you for coming out and showing your support for our K9 heroes.

A heartfelt thank-you to the Massachusetts State Police Air Wing for honoring these heroes with an incredible flyover. Watching that tribute overhead was one of those unforgettable moments that made this day so special.

To every runner, walker, volunteer, family, supporter, and member of the community who joined us—thank you for showing these heroes just how much they mean to all of us.

And we are just getting started.

Nominations for the 2027 K9 Heroes Awards are now open, and next year will be even bigger!

Nominate a deserving K9 hero:
https://k9ptsd.org/award

Thank you for standing with us and helping ensure these heroes receive the recognition they have earned.❤️🐾

State Representative Steve Xiarhos
Senator Kelly Dooner
Denise Morency Gannon
Massachusetts State Police
K9 Kitt Foundation
K9 Flexx and Retired/Police K9 Mr. Warner.
Dylan Fernandes
Falmouth Police Department
Big Nick's Ride for the Fallen
Paws 4 Blue K-9
German Shepherd Rescue of New England, Inc
Bourne Police Department
Bourne Firefighters IAFF Local 1717
Yarmouth Police Dept.
Yarmouth Police Foundation
Bristol County Sheriff's Office
Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee
North Attleboro Police Department
Bourne Residents

10/12/2026

🐾🇺🇸 THEY GAVE EVERYTHING FOR US. NOW IT’S OUR TURN TO SHOW UP FOR THEM. 🇺🇸🐾

K9 HEROES AWARDS — OCTOBER 18, 2026

They have chased dangerous criminals, protected their handlers, saved lives, and walked into situations most of us would run away from.

They never asked for recognition. They never asked for applause. They simply answered the call to serve.

On Sunday, October 18, we are asking YOU to show up for THEM.

Join the K9 PTSD Research Center in Bourne, Massachusetts, for a very special morning as we honor extraordinary Police and Military K9 Heroes and the handlers who have stood beside them.

These are not just dogs. They are heroes with incredible stories of courage, sacrifice, loyalty, and unconditional devotion.

❤️ Come meet the heroes. Hear their stories. Watch them receive the recognition they have earned.

📅 Sunday, October 18, 2026

⏰ K9 Heroes Awards Ceremony: 9:00 AM

📍 Bourne High School
75 Waterhouse Road, Bourne, MA 02532

🏃 5K Run/Walk for the K9 Heroes begins at 10:00 AM!

🐾 REGISTER TO RUN OR WALK HERE:
https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Bourne/5kForTheKHeros

You do not have to run or walk to come support these heroes. Just being there matters.

Imagine what it would mean to see a crowd of people standing together, applauding the K9s who have dedicated their lives to protecting ours.

Let's fill Bourne with people who believe these heroes deserve to be remembered, celebrated, and never forgotten.

Bring your family. Bring your friends. Bring your love for our K9 Heroes.

🐾 They showed up for us. Will you show up for them?

PLEASE SHARE and help us give these heroes the crowd they deserve! 🇺🇸🐾

09/24/2026

🐾 IT’S OFFICIAL — YOU CAN NOW ORDER YOUR K9 HEROES LICENSE PLATE! 🇺🇸
The Massachusetts K9 Heroes License Plate is now available to order directly through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts website.
This plate proudly honors K9 Sergeant Sean Gannon and the incredible legacy of service, sacrifice, and devotion represented by K9 teams across the Commonwealth.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who pre-ordered and supported these heroes from the very beginning. You helped make this plate possible, and we cannot wait to see K9 Heroes License Plates on so many vehicles throughout Massachusetts.
Every plate on the road will help keep the service and sacrifice of our Police and Military K9 Heroes visible while also helping provide funding and support for K9 Heroes throughout the Commonwealth.
Honor the legacy.
Support the heroes.
Remember K9 Sergeant Sean Gannon.
🐾 Order your K9 Heroes License Plate today directly through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts website. https://www.mass.gov/.../apply-for-a-special-license-plate See less

Disability plates require an application and can't be ordered online. Specific number requests cannot be made for any specialty plate

09/13/2026

🐾 MEET K9 DAKOTA — THE HEART BEHIND DAKOTA’S LAW 🐾

Dakota was more than a K9.

He was a partner. A protector. A loyal servant who stood beside those who wore the badge and gave everything he had in service to others.

Like so many working K9s, Dakota never understood politics, legislation, or recognition. He only understood his duty — to protect, to serve, and to be there when he was needed most.

And he did exactly that.

But Dakota’s story also brought attention to a painful reality: when these incredible K9 heroes retire, their service may be over, but their needs are not. The years spent protecting our communities can leave them with medical needs and challenges long after their final shift.

Dakota became the voice for K9s who could not speak for themselves.

Now, with Dakota’s Law signed by the Governor of Massachusetts, his legacy will reach far beyond his own years of service.

Because of Dakota, the K9 heroes who served the Commonwealth will be seen.

Because of Dakota, their sacrifices will be remembered.

And because of Dakota, the K9s serving today — and those who will serve in the future — will know that Massachusetts will not forget them when their service ends.

We offer our heartfelt thanks to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Massachusetts Senate for coming together to pass this historic legislation and recognize the extraordinary service and sacrifice of these heroes.

Dakota may have been one K9, but his story now carries the names of every K9 who stood watch, entered danger, protected a partner, and served without ever asking for anything in return.

They gave us their loyalty, their courage, and their lives of service. The least we can do is stand by them when they need us most.

🐾 This is Dakota’s legacy. This is Dakota’s Law. And this is a promise to every K9 hero who has served, is serving, and will serve the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.


State Representative Steve Xiarhos
Senator Kelly Dooner
Carlos Gonzalez State Representative
Steven Howitt for State Representative
State Representative Justin Thurber
Massachusetts State Police

07/24/2026

🐾 Join Us in Honoring Our K9 Heroes! 🇺🇸

Join us on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at Bourne High School for the K9 Hero Awards Ceremony and 5K Run/Walk!

🏅 Awards Ceremony: 9:00 AM
🏃 5K Run/Walk: 10:00 AM

Come celebrate the brave Police K9s who serve our communities and our country every day.

We are also looking for volunteers to help with registration, race support, setup, cleanup, directing participants, and other event needs. Every volunteer will receive a free official event STAFF shirt and a free water bottle as our thank-you for helping make this special day possible.

Bring your family, bring your dog, and join us in Bourne!

Register or volunteer at:
https://k9ptsd.org/race

The 5K Race/Walk/K9 Heroes is on Sunday October 18, 2026.

07/10/2026

We are honored to share the fourth and final video in our K9 Heroes License Plate series.

This final chapter honors the man to whom this plate is dedicated: K9 Sgt. Sean Gannon.

The “SG” displayed on the plate represents Sgt. Gannon and ensures that his name, his service, and his sacrifice will continue to be remembered across the Commonwealth.

Sgt. Gannon’s legacy lives on through the people he inspired, the K9 community he served, and every plate that will soon travel the roads of Massachusetts.

We are deeply honored to help preserve his memory and to recognize the extraordinary life of a true hero.

This plate is more than a symbol. It is a promise that Sgt. Sean Gannon will never be forgotten.

07/07/2026

We are excited to share some wonderful news — after over half a year of looking, the K9 PTSD Research Center will be opening a second campus on Cape Cod later this year.

This is an incredible step forward in our mission to care for the Police and Military K9 heroes who have given so much in service to others. This new campus will allow us to continue expanding our work, our research, and our lifetime care for these heroes who deserve peace, healing, and understanding.

We cannot thank the wonderful people of Cape Cod enough. From the very beginning, so many believed in this mission and wanted the Center to have a home on the Cape. They stepped forward, offered support, and helped put the resources in place to make this possible.

We are especially grateful for the love and support shown by the community and government of Bourne. Your belief in our mission and your compassion for these K9 heroes have meant more than words can express.

We are also honored that this new campus will be near State Representative Steve Xiarhos, who has been such an important voice and supporter for our K9 heroes. His dedication to those who serve, both human and K9, means so much to our mission.

K9 Satu and the other heroes are looking forward to making Bourne their new home.

Cape Cod has opened its heart to our mission, and we are honored to become part of this community later this year.

Because They Matter.
K9 PTSD Research Center

06/18/2026

🐾 Exciting Announcement from the K9 PTSD Research Center 🐾

The K9 PTSD Research Center is honored and excited to announce that our research on norepinephrine/adrenaline studies in working K9s was invited to be presented at the Vancouver Canine Conference, introducing this important work to the canine world.

This research is significant because it focuses on developing non-invasive testing methods to measure stress levels in K9s through urine testing. Better understanding stress markers in working dogs strengthens the health, treatment, and long-term care of Police, Military, and other working K9s suffering from trauma and stress-related conditions.

Our work also supports the growing understanding that C-PTSD in K9s is a real, diagnosable condition—one that deserves recognition, compassion, and proper care. With early intervention, appropriate treatment, and continued research, the quality of life for affected K9s can be significantly improved.

We are truly honored to have been accepted to present this research and grateful for the opportunity to share our work with the broader canine community.

🐕‍🦺 Advancing science. Protecting K9 heroes. Giving them the voice they deserve.

06/16/2026

At our center, we see the quiet battles many of these heroes carry long after their service ends. They have stood beside our military and Police, protected lives, searched dangerous places, and faced situations most of us can’t imagine. Just like people, they can carry trauma.
And often, that suffering takes place in silence.
They cannot explain what haunts them. They cannot tell us what memories keep them restless, fearful, guarded, or withdrawn. Their pain may show up in anxiety, fear responses, nightmares, hypervigilance, trust issues, or sudden changes in behavior. These are not signs of weakness or disobedience. They are signs of what these heroes have endured.
Some may choose to deny its existence, dismiss the symptoms, or act like these dogs should simply “get over it.” But anyone who has worked closely with them knows the truth. Trauma does not disappear just because it is unseen, unspoken, or misunderstood.
These heroes gave their loyalty, courage, and service without question. The least we can do is give them patience, understanding, care, and respect.
To those who refuse to acknowledge canine PTSD: denial does not make suffering disappear. Compassion does.

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