HARLOWS HEROES
Where k9 teams & Their handlers always have a place to turn
PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE, CRITICAL SERVICES & SUPPORT FOR
ACTIVE AND RETIRED K-9’S WHEN AND WHERE IT’S NEEDED MOST.
Our Commitment
Harlows Heroes is a Connecticut-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting both active and retired K-9 teams.
We provide critical medical care, protective equipment, rehabilitative services, nutritional support, and compassionate end-of-life assistance — ensuring K-9s and their handlers always have somewhere to turn.
Through advocacy and specialized initiatives like The Second Leash Project and Give a Hero, Give Hope, we promote mental health awareness, help retired and released K-9s transition into new homes, and strengthen the bond between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
When it’s their turn to need help –
we’re the ones they turn to
Help us answer the call and Join Our Mission. Thanks to supporters like you, we’re able to provide emergency care, essential equipment and end of life support and services when K-9 teams need it most. Become apart of the mission and help us continue to be the place they can always turn.
How Do We Help?
We provide practical, hands-on support to meet the real-world needs of working and retired K-9s — and the handlers who stand beside them. From medical care to enrichment, our programs are designed to make sure no team is ever left without help.
Emergency & Routine Medical Care
We respond quickly to provide urgent and routine care — even for dogs not currently in our program. From emergency surgeries to ongoing treatment, we step in to provide relief when it’s needed most.
Rehabilitation & Mobility Support
For retired K9s facing injury, illness, or degenerative diseases, we offer support that helps them recover, regain comfort, and improve quality of life through targeted rehab and mobility assistance.
Training & Enrichment
We supply the tools K9s need to perform their duties safely and effectively, while also providing enrichment essentials for retired dogs who still benefit from mental and physical stimulation.
Nutritional Support & Supplements
We help cover the cost of quality food and supplements to support long-term health, reduce inflammation, and maintain strength which is especially important for retired K9s and those with chronic conditions.
End Of Life
Services
We assist with at-home euthanasia, cremation services, and final arrangements. Ensuring that every dog is honored with comfort, dignity, and the love they’ve earned.
Access to Partnerships & Discounts
Our partner network gives K9 handlers access to discounted, high-quality products and services — helping them save money while continuing to provide the best for their dogs.
Above All Else, We Are A Lifeline
Whether it’s an emergency, a hard decision, or the quiet weight of doing this work day after day — you are never alone.
Harlows Heroes exists to make sure there’s always someone to call, always a path forward, always a team behind you.
For Every K9, For Every Handler, For Every Moment That Matters.
Proof That it matters
After working with my K9 for over 6 years, she got retired after a weeks notice to me. Once retired, all her benefits stopped and I was left with a partner that needed medical attention from injuries sustained in doing her job. The reality set in that I may have to put down my partner because I did not have the money to get her the care she needed. I applied to Harlows Heroes and got a call from Krista telling me they adopted my K9 Xena. I knew we weren’t out of the woods yet, but that call brought tears to my eyes because now, Xena had a fighting chance. Harlow’s Heroes paid for Xena’s treatments for her back and partial paralysis. I could not have afforded the treatments Xena got, but because of the generosity of Harlow’s Heroes, Xena has made such a recovery that she is now running and jumping where before Harlow’s Heroes adopted her, she unfortunately was dragging her legs and having trouble standing. If Xena could speak, she would say she owes her quality of life to the generosity of Harlow’s Heroes.
D. Vanderkaay | K9 Xena – Jack County S.O.
Unmatched Support
We provide direct assistance to active and retired K-9 teams — including emergency and routine medical care, rehabilitative support, nutritional needs, enrichment, protective equipment, and end-of-life services. Our programs ensure K-9s receive the care they’ve earned, without added burden on their departments or handlers. While our roots are in Connecticut, our mission extends wherever the need exists.
Community Rooted Initiatives
Beyond care, our programs help build meaningful connections between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
Through public outreach and education, we work to raise awareness of the many roles K-9 teams play in keeping communities safe. Our Give a Hero, Give Hope initiative promotes mental health awareness and emotional healing for individuals struggling with anxiety, navigating grief, or facing hardship — with a special focus on survivors of domestic violence. This program also helps shift perceptions by creating opportunities for law enforcement and K-9 teams to engage with the public in positive, personal ways.
We carry that same commitment into the Second Leash Project, which helps place both released and retired working dogs into new homes or alternative careers — offering stability, purpose, and care beyond their original assignment.
Legacy Driven Mission
Our work honors the full journey of every K-9 — from service to retirement. We offer professional free photo sessions to all active and retired K9 teams to preserve their stories, help educate the public on the important roles these K-9’s have in their communities, and reinforce the importance of investing in and maintaining K-9 programs. Every town benefits from having a trained working dog and we aim to build understanding and support that ensures these teams continue to thrive. By increasing visibility and community connection, we hope to help departments gain recognition and funding, while building long-term support for K-9 teams.
K9 Barrett – Our Police Dog
Barrett was the pride of our town — the dog who inspired everything Harlows Heroes has become.
What began as a way to thank him for his service grew into the incredible mission you see today. He didn’t just protect us — he brought us together, gave us a sense of pride, and became part of our community.
He gave us something to rally behind, to believe in, and to care about together. Creating Harlows Heroes keeps his memory alive and carries his remarkable legacy forward.
Forever #9532
Help Us Honor Our K9 Heroes!
Your support can make a lasting impact for the teams we help, join our mission today!