With their speed, natural hunting instincts, and incredible sense of smell, K9s are proving to be helpful partners to anti-poaching units (APUs) across Africa. According to the South African Wildlife College’s counter-poaching data, when responding to incursions without any K9 asset, apprehension rates are about 3-5%. K9 units see a dramatically higher apprehension rate of about 54%!
Global Conservation Force (GCF) has supported K9 anti-poaching units, rangers, and dogs since 2015. From the start we have also been strategically aligning our own K9 unit. In 2019, we acquired Denali, a trained, adult female, Belgian Malinois. In the spring of 2019, Denali gave birth to a litter of puppies and in the summer of 2019, they made their way to South Africa to begin training with our partner, Kilo9 Kennels. The dogs will help track and apprehend poachers, and detect gun oil, pangolin scales, rhino horn, and ivory.
Before an anti-poaching unit receives a trained K9, we verify the unit has trained and certified rangers to handle a K9. The ranger unit should also have a stable reserve management infrastructure which includes other rangers, a care-taking staff, vehicles, and kennels. The K9s require safe housing, high quality food and supplements, continued training, regular vet exams, flea and tick treatment, and downtime.
GCF’s Working Dog Bloodline
Currently, all the GCF K9s are Belgian Malinois dogs. Malinois are well-suited to anti-poaching work due to their incredible agility, intelligence, and bite strength. Denali, a GCF K9, BRN 30637, is the daughter of KNPV (Koninklijke Nederlandse Politiehond Vereniging, or Royal Dutch Police Dog Association) all-time-great, Mido. He attained his PH1 with a perfect score, 435/435 points. That earned him an invitation to the KNPV Championships where he scored 429 /435 pts. He is the son of the famous Jary Berghorst, who is a “super producer” and has great offspring throughout the world. On Denali’s maternal side she is granddaughter to Barry II, one of the most sought-after studs in recent years.
The puppies’ sire, Reaper (Archie BRN 25962), is a powerhouse Belgian Malinois. Reaper is from the strongest working lines out there including the likes of Jochie, Duco II and Django. Reaper does it all, from competition-style obedience to every application working dog needs to do. He tracks, does building / area searches, muzzle fights, detection, civil alerts, hidden bites and stuck a 45min passive bite.
Denali, a Belgian Malinois, is one of GCF's anti-poaching K9s.
K9 Professional Development Program
In 2020, GCF launched a new professional development program that offers the opportunity to learn firsthand how to successfully navigate caring for and preparing K9s and their handlers for work protecting wildlife. The program is based at the GCF K9 anti-poaching unit kennels in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
Adopt an Anti-Poaching K9
Anti-poaching K9s require many years of specialized training, an expense many small anti-poaching units can’t afford. By donating or “adopting” one of our K9s, you will sponsor the necessary daily duties, care, veterinary care, training, gear, field training programs, and the food needed to develop and maintain a successful K9 anti-poaching ranger.
One-Time Donation Tiers
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Help cover the monthly costs for one of our K9s
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Your choice of K9 certificate of adoption (PDF form)
- Receive a picture of the K9 in the field (when in the field)
- Plush K9 stuffed animal
- GCF rhino & Malinoisshield vinyl sticker
Bronze K9 Sponsor – $100
- Help cover the training, food, and gear costs of our K9s
- Receive quarterly updates on K9s for one year
- Your choice of K9 certificate of adoption (PDF form)
- Picture of the K9 in the field (when in the field)
- Plush K9 stuffed animal
- Set of GCF K9 color vinyl stickers
Silver K9 Sponsor – $250
- Help cover the gear and training costs for our K9s and their handlers
- Receive quarterly updates on K9s
- Your choice of K9 certificate of adoption (PDF form)
- Picture of the adult K9 in the field (when in the field)
- Plush K9 stuffed animal
- Set of GCF K9 color vinyl stickers
- Annual Sponsorship mention (webpage of K9 sponsors)
Gold K9 Sponsor – $500
- Sponsor the costs to cover field trainings and our K9 gear and K9 ranger gear.
- Quarterly updates on K9s
- Your choice of K9 certificate of adoption (PDF form)
- Plush K9 stuffed animal
- Set of GCF K9 color vinyl stickers
- Picture of K9 in the field (when in the field)
- Annual Sponsorship mention (webpage of K9 sponsors)
- Two general admission tickets to Global Conservation Force’s Gala or Annual K9 Breakfast (no exceptions/not transferable)
Platinum K9 Sponsor – $1,000
- Cover the annual cost of a K9, including training, food, veterinary costs, and gear
- Quarterly updates on K9s
- Your choice of K9 certificate of adoption (PDF form)
- Plush K9 stuffed animal
- Set of GCF K9 color vinyl stickers
- Picture of K9 in the field (when in the field)
- Annual Sponsorship mention (webpage of K9 sponsors)
- 2 VIP admission tickets to Global Conservation Force’s Gala and 2 tickets to our Annual K9 Breakfast (no exceptions/not transferable)
Diamond K9 Sponsor – $2,000
- Cover the annual cost of a K9 and the Ranger handler, including professional certificates, gear, veterinary support, and field training
- Special thank you video from the field
- Quarterly updates on K9s
- Your choice of K9 certificate of adoption (PDF form)
- Plush K9 stuffed animal
- Set of GCF K9 color vinyl stickers
- Picture of K9 and Ranger in the field (when in the field)
- Annual Sponsorship mention (webpage of K9 sponsors)
- 4 VIP admission tickets to Global Conservation Force’s Gala and 4 tickets to our Annual K9 Breakfast (no exceptions/not transferable)
Monthly K9 Adoption Program
Our monthly packages include:
K9 Officer Level
$5 a month
($60 a year)
- Quarterly updates on K9s
- Certificate of adoption (PDF form)
- Picture of K9 in the field (when in the field)
K9 Guardian Level
$10 a Month
($120 a year)
- Quarterly updates on K9s
- Certificate of adoption (PDF form)
- Picture of the K9 in the field (when in the field)
- Annual Sponsorship mention (webpage of K9 sponsors)
K9 Warden Level
$25 a Month
($300 a year)
- Quarterly updates on K9s
- Certificate of adoption (PDF form)
- Picture of the K9 in the field (when in the field)
- Annual Sponsorship mention (webpage of K9 sponsors)
- Special thank you video from the field
For questions or support with the K9 donation program please reach out to Natasha Frolander, GCF K9 Anti Poaching Units Projects Coordinator, at n.frolander@globalconservationforce.org
Special Thanks to our K9 Sponsors!
Heidi Brunell
Danielle Crawford
Kelly Jackson
Madeline Mattingly
Lisa Nichols
Araceli Perez
Coyote Peterson and Brave Wilderness
Linda Saytos
Melanie Stahl
Pamela York
Staci Zaffuto
