Earlier this year, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office became aware of a nonprofit organization in Ohio known as the K9s of Valor Foundation.

The volunteer group helps law enforcement agencies across the country by supplying them with Naloxone (aka Narcan) kits, specifically designed for police dogs who experience opioid overdoses.  Our office contacted K9s of Valor and made a request for 12 Naloxone kits and the organization accepted our request.  We later received the kits in the mail and have since distributed them to K-9 handlers within our department.  Each K-9 kit includes a 2 ml box of Naloxone, a needleless syringe and rubber gloves.  These kits were provided free of charge to our office thanks to generous donors who pledge their financial support to K9s of Valor.   

Patrol deputies with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office currently carry a supply of Naloxone nasal spray while on duty.  This can be used on a patient who is suffering from an overdose of dangerous narcotics such as heroin or fentanyl.  Deputies can also administer it on themselves should they inadvertently become exposed to opioids.  It often goes unnoticed that law enforcement K-9s can just as easily suffer an opioid overdose during the course of their duties.  So it is critical for handlers to have additional Naloxone available to administer to their dogs if necessary.  

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, which works to counter the effect of an opioid overdose.  By administering sprays into the nostrils of a person, the medicine can temporarily block the opioids from doing further harm.  This provides the patient an extra window of time to get professional medical treatment where they will hopefully become fully stabilized.

For more information on K9s of Valor, visit https://www.k9sofvalor.org/