I always look forward to the various art sculptures erected every summer in Chicago. In the past, colorful cows, globes, furniture and other bright, fun structures decorated the streets. This year Chicago let the dogs out.

The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation developed the Chicago K9s for Cops public art campaign to honor the work of the CPD Canine Unit. The life-sized German shepherd statues are a fitting tribute to the 70 patrol dogs utilized by the CPD. The K9 campaign is part of a fundraising effort for the Foundation, which helps the families of officers killed or injured on the job. There are more than 100 dogs in 48 locations in the downtown area.

The K9 statues are sponsored by companies or individuals and are painted by local artists. Some of the themes or organizations represented include PAWS, the Chicago Wolves hockey team, the musical band Chicago, the Chicago Police Department and many others.

In a city full of great skyline views and incredible architecture, it is interesting to see people flock to the K9 sculptures for photos. There are even walking tours dedicated to seeing many of the K9s.

I spent a whole day checking out a lot of the K9s, and on every subsequent trip downtown, I made sure to seek out a few more. The statues are simple, yet the artistry is beautiful. The best part, though, really is that the K9s honor the CPD canines and benefit the CPD Memorial Foundation.

— John Wroblewski, distribution specialist/online contributor