Waite Park Nutrition Business Raising Money for K9 Program

(KNSI) – A St. Cloud area business is helping fundraise for a local K9 officer and his partner. Granite City Nutrition, 2077 Frontage Road in Waite Park, is donating the sales from special menu items to the Waite Park Police Department’s K9 program. From now until Friday, every time someone orders a Puppy Chow shake or a Dog Watcher loaded tea, the funds will go to the WPPD K9 program.

The smoothie and juice bar has been donating this week to help pay for training for K9 Bosco and his handler, Officer Andrew Lehmkuhl. The two began their 15-week schooling on March 28th.

Waite Park had a long history of having a K9 unit, but due to the retirement of its handler in 2019, the WPPD K9 was given to the St. Cloud Police Department because they had an experienced handler without a K9 partner.

WPPD started getting the ball rolling on a new K9 after the department received a $7,500 grant through the AKC Reunite Adopt a K9 Cop program. Thanks to grant funding, private donations, and community organizations, the department has raised enough money to get the program going. The K9 officer program costs about $70,000.

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