VIDEO: Boy Donates Birthday Money to Buy K-9s Vests

Nine-year-old Ethan Flint asked his friends and family not to give him birthday gifts this year and to instead use the money to go toward bulletproof vests for the St. Paul (Minn.) PD K-9 unit. He presented a homemade check for $1,290 to the K-9 unit on Saturday, reports KSTP.

"And everyone who donated I just want to say thanks to them," Ethan said.

Ethan's parents said they as a family discussed and developed this plan. "We just need to do something that he was interested in and give to a cause that he believed in," Jennifer Flint said.

Sgt. John Linssen, with the St. Paul Police Department, said that a vest to protect a K-9 can cost about $26,000, so every dollar counts. The vest protects the dog from bullets and potential stab wounds.

"I think it's outstanding that a 9-year-old could think of something like that; it's remarkable," Linssen said.