photo by: Courtesy of Lawrence Police Department

A painting created by Shadow, a patrol service dog with the Lawrence Police Department. Shadow's handler is Officer Josh Doncouse.

Updated at 1:20 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14

Tuesday’s charity auction of paintings by Lawrence police dogs raised nearly $2,500, according to event organizer Emily Fawcett, who runs a nonprofit dedicated to the service animals.

As the Journal-World previously reported, Lawrence’s three patrol service dogs — Mack, Shadow and Cheeseburger — created paintings Sunday with the help of their officer-handlers, who applied paint to specially covered canvases and let the dogs get creative with their mouths and paws.

photo by: Courtesy of Lawrence Police Department

A painting created by Mack, a patrol service dog with the Lawrence Police Department. Mack’s handler is Officer Kevin Henderson.

photo by: Courtesy of Lawrence Police Department

A painting created by Cheeseburger, a patrol service dog with the Lawrence Police Department. Cheeseburger’s handler is Officer Matt Weidl.

The auction at Six Mile Chop House and Tavern raised funds to benefit Friends of the K9 Vest Midwest, which supplies custom-made ballistic vests to police dogs. The vests cost about $2,000 each, and the nonprofit in the past has supplied two vests to the Lawrence Police Department.

LPD spokesperson Laura McCabe said that the vests were crucial in protecting the dogs and that the department was pleased to help raise funds for vests for other agencies across Kansas.

“Our dogs are not just sniffing scenes after crimes occur,” she said. “They work patrol and can encounter danger. So, the protective vests donated by Friends of the K9 Vest Midwest are critical.”

Fawcett said that a private donation after the auction brought Tuesday’s total to $2,450.

photo by: Friends of the K9 Vest Midwest

Lawrence Police Officer Kevin Henderson and patrol service dog Mack made an appearance Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, at Six Mile Chop House and Tavern, where the dog paintings were auctioned.

photo by: Lawrence Police Department

A painting created by Cheeseburger, a patrol service dog with the Lawrence Police Department, is displayed at an auction Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, at Six Mile Chop House and Tavern. Cheeseburger’s handler is Officer Matt Weidl.