Kelly Sutliff is the 2025 Prize Recipient of The William J. von Liebig Prize

Kelly Sutliff, Founder of Kelly’s K9s, Tails of Courage, is the 2025 Prize Recipient of The William J. von Liebig Prize, an extraordinary honor recognizing leadership that bridges human and animal welfare.

Kelly transformed her own experience as a survivor of domestic violence into a powerful movement rooted in safety, healing, and empowerment. Established in October 2024, Kelly’s K9s, Tails of Courage provides trained protection dogs that offer both physical security and emotional support to survivors rebuilding their lives at no cost to them. 

This year, The von Liebig Prize bridges the gap between human and animal welfare by selecting Kelly as its fifth winner—recognizing the profound impact of the human-canine bond in helping survivors reclaim control, confidence, and independence. Kelly is deeply grateful to The William J. von Liebig Foundation for this meaningful recognition.

Read the Kelly's K9s Issue of Drax Digest here.