We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jason Johnson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jason , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

While working in military, law enforcement, and federal government, I served as a dog handler, trainer, certification official, and kennel master before moving into an administrative role. During that time, I came to a difficult realization: as a country, we relied on our nation’s working dogs throughout their careers to protect our communities and country, yet too often left their Handlers to manage the cost of care alone once the dogs retired. Sending these partners home without financial support for their legitimate medical needs did not sit right with me.

That reality became personal after I adopted his former partner, K-9 Flash, when she retired in 2013. She was battling Lyme disease, mobility challenges, and other age-related conditions, and there was no support system to help manage her care beyond myself. In that moment, it became clear that I needed to do something to protect those who protected us.

So I took $500 out of my own pocket to start Project K-9 Hero as a national nonprofit in March of 2016, and since that day we have raised over $32 million dollars an have saved the life of hundreds of retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs across America and beyond.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have a passion for Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs, as he has dedicated his life to handling, training, and taking care of them. I believe that our nation’s working dogs perform selflessly for the departments and agencies they work for, and that once they retire, are not offered that same respect by those they served. It is my goal to educate the public on the costs and responsibilities of adopting a retired Hero and to ensure that every Police K-9 and Military Working Dog in the world has their medical, food, and end-of-duty costs taken care of for them so they can enjoy the healthy and happy retirements that they deserve.

After volunteering my time for three years at the inception of the organization, I now act as the CEO of Project K-9 Hero. I am also the CEO of HaloLights, K-9 Solutions International (K-9SI), and Blackbird Armament where I manages domestic and international contracts, training, and consulting services with civilian and government agencies worldwide.

Before I founded Project K-9 Hero, I served as a Field Canine Coordinator for the Department of Homeland Security, where I provided program oversight and subject matter expertise to law enforcement and federal canine teams nationwide. Prior to that, I was a K-9 Trainer/Instructor and Course Developer for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). I planned, developed, and was the Lead Instructor for Explosive Detection Courses to domestic and international federal agents, law enforcement, and military.

I have trained, instructed, and certified students in dozens of federal agencies globally, as well as a multitude of other state and local departments in the United States. I have worked directly with the Pentagon’s Military Working Dog (MWD) program, providing Home-Made Explosives training to over 1,000 MWDs prior to their deployment to the Middle East, and was also involved in developing and instructing the ATF’s first SRT (Special Response Team) Dual-Purpose Patrol/Explosives Detection Canine, and their off-leash SEEK (Search Enhanced Evidence K-9) Program.

Prior to working for the ATF, I served as an Explosives Detection K-9 Handler, Trainer, Kennel Master, and Protective Security Specialist for the U.S. Department of State in Iraq and Afghanistan. I also served as a Police Officer for the City of Yakima, WA, and the City of Puyallup, WA. During that time, I specialized as a K-9 Handler, SWAT Officer, and K-9 Trainer/Certifying Official with the Washington State Police Canine Association.

I honorably served in the United States Army as a Military Police Officer and I am a proud Veteran. I hold a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science from Bellevue University in Security Management. I have also written two children’s books about his inspiration to start this organization, titled “K-9 Flash Becomes A Hero,” and “K-9 Flash: A Hero’s Hero.” His K-9 partner, “Flash” was named the Law Enforcement Dog of the Year in the country by American Humane in 2018.

I am a former Master’s Course University Instructor, a published Academic Author, and an Executive Producer of television and film, all related to the K-9 profession. I actively work with the U.S. Senate and Congress in Washington D.C. to see that my vision of the K-9 Hero Act gets passed as a law to bring a positive legislative change to the K-9 Community for generations to follow.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

For all of those who may have a dream like I did. For those of you who may be trying to decide if you have the courage to leap? To walk away from the security of your current job, it’s benefits, it’s stability? The only person or thing holding you back from success is you!

Five pillars to success:

1) Surround yourself with people who are smarter, more talented, yet just as driven as you!

2) Never turn down an opportunity that can help you or your organization grow!

3) Travel far and wide to tell as many people as you can about what you do and what your goals are!

4) Others may try imitate you, but never let that bother you, because you know that you will never let them out work you!

5) Lastly, treat every person you meet as they could potentially change your life for the better!

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Ensure that you never ask anyone on your team to do something that you as the leader wouldn’t do. When it comes to holidays, I make sure that they all have it off and I leave myself on the schedule to take care of the dogs and other tasks so they may enjoy that time with their families. And finally, anytime I am given any type of individual recognition, I am sure to point out that the entire team earned this award, not just me!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://projectk9hero.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/projectk9hero/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectk9hero
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/projectk9hero
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProjectK9Hero
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ProjectK9Hero

Image Credits

Project K-9 Hero