10-Year-Old Florida Girl Delivers Christmas Gifts to over 100 K9s: ‘I Love Them All’

Over 100 K9s in Florida are enjoying new toys this holiday season, thanks to a ten-year-old Jacksonville girl.

“We give them toy KONGS. They’re about this big and they have like holes too where you can throw them and it’s a really good reward toy for the dogs whenever they do good,” Emma Johnson told Action News Jax.

Emma’s mother, Debbie Johnson, says her daughter came up with the idea to bring Christmas presents to K9s six years ago.

“When it came Christmas-time she was like, ‘mom we got to get presents for the K9s,'” said Debbie.

Emma ensured more than 100 dogs received gifts at ten different agencies last week, according to Actions News Jax:

Her stops included: St Johns County Sheriff’s Office, St Augustine Beach Police Department, Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Baker County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Jasper County (Florida Highway Patrol training), Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

On Christmas Eve, Emma was still playing Santa to Florida area dogs. She dressed as Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and her parents portrayed Yukon Cornelius and the Abominable Snowman, as the family hand-delivered some last-minute gifts to local agencies.

One pooch with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) was extremely excited to receive his Kong toy, while his handler was delighted to be gifted a Dunkin’ gift card, according to Palatka Daily News.

“K9 Halo was so excited about our annual Christmas visit from K9s United, he just couldn’t wait to open his present,” the PCSO wrote in a Facebook post. “Halo and his handler, Deputy Kagen Butts were honored today to receive gifts for all of our K9s and handlers.”

Emma enjoys and each and every toy delivery.

“I think it’s fun and I love all of them,” Emma told Action News Jax.

Emma carries out her effort through the nonprofit K9s United, which was founded by Debbie in 2015.

The inspiration for the organization came after Debbie heard of K9 Baron’s tragic death in 2014. Baron of the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office was asphyxiated in a swamp by a suspect he was attempting to apprehend, News 4 Jax previously reported. Debbie was heartbroken over Baron’s death, but “she turned her grief into inspiration and realized that she could do more for the K9s that serve and protect us,” according to the organization’s website.

K9s United has more than 100,000 followers on Facebook and has been instrumental in passing legislation to protect and honor k9s. Debbie championed a bill to increase the penalty against criminals who kill k9s after the death of K9 Fang with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. In 2019, Florida Gov. Ron Desantis (R) signed the legislation nicknamed the “Fang Memorial Bill” into law, per K9s United. Moreover, the nonprofit helped push for a law that allows dogs to be transported by ambulance in the event of injury, according to Action Jax News.