Dr. Lisa Booth enjoys using her medical expertise to help police officers care for their canine partners.

One of five veterinarians at Vale Park Animal Hospital in Valparaiso, Booth founded Kits for K9’s in 2013. The organization supplies first aid kits to police canine handlers for use in an emergency.

“There are a lot of police dogs out there and they put themselves in danger and I wanted to find a way to help them, if injured, to have a better chance at survival,” Booth said.

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“The police officers that work with these dogs are their partners and would do anything to help them, so I also instruct them on what to do.”

The kits contain basic medical supplies like bandages, hydrogen peroxide and antibiotic ointment, in addition to medicine to combat the ingestion of narcotics.

Each kit costs around $70 to build and 200 have been distributed both nationally, and locally, to the Portage, Gary, and Michigan City police departments.

Booth also offers training classes to local fire departments for pet rescue, CPR and first aid. She recently worked with the Michigan City, Valparaiso and Kingsford Heights fire departments.

A 2000 graduate of Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Booth is an active member of the Indiana Animal Surveillance and Emergency Response Team.

“We are a team of veterinarians and veterinary technicians that are trained by the Indiana Board of Animal health to respond in case of a massive animal emergency situation,” she said.

“I love what I do and want to help the animal world in any way possible.”

Booth is a resident of Jackson Township in Porter County and enjoys spending time with her husband, Ryan, and sons Nolan and Logan. For more information on Kits for K9’s, visit the Facebook page.

Source http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/valparaiso/veterinarian-designs-kits-for-k-s-to-aid-police -units/article_e15001a7-b3f0-5f4a-88ac-96bcef02ccac.html