VIDEO: 10-Year-Old Skips Birthday Presents to Buy VA K-9 Vest

All Virginia Beach (VA) Police Department K-9s now have ballistic vests, and one of them was donated by a 10-year-old girl, Alexis Mattingly.

"Dogs are awesome and I just wanted to help," she told WTKR.

Alexis asked for donations instead of having a birthday party, opting for wrapping the K-9's with vests instead of unwrapping gifts.

Through bake and craft sales, and with the help of her mom and cousins, it took Alexis less than a month to raise the $2,500 needed to purchase a K-9 vest.

"It just proves no matter how old you are or how young you are, if you want to do something then just do it," say Holly Mattingly, Alexis' mom. "It speaks volumes for society as well."

Sergeant Chris Tull says Alexis' and other businesses donations for the new vests could not have come at a better time. "These have been tough times for police officers in general," says Sergeant Tull. "There's been a lot of negativity that's come out, so to see the community step forward and provide this support, really is heartening."

Alexis says they ended up raising about $700 more than their goal, which will also go to the Virginia Beach Police Department.