WSPA Donates Life-Saving Vests to K-9 Officers

On June 5, 1998, Solo, a four-year-old K-9 officer with the Monmouth County Sheriff's Department in New Jersey, was one of a squadron of police officers who surrounded an apartment building in pursuit of a robbery suspect.

Following his handler's command, the German Shepard licked his partner's cheek and then entered the building to investigate and apprehend the suspect. As he ran down the hallway on that hot summer day, Solo was shot twice in the chest and killed in the line of duty. Over the course of his career, Solo had apprehended nineteen criminals and located eleven missing persons. In the end, he gave his life "to protect and serve."

Sadly, Solo's story is just one of many that could be told of these courageous K-9s. What makes the loss of these special canines so much more poignant is that, in most cases, these tragedies occur needlessly. If Solo had been wearing the same kind of protective body armor that his human partner wears, he would most likely be alive today.

Although WSPA is an international organization devoted primarily to rescuing and protecting animals in countries where the term "animal welfare" is unheard of, when a local humane group brought this situation to our attention, we felt moved to address this pressing need right here in the States. After some investigation, WSPA learned that there is no legislation in place, either at the state or federal level, to mandate appropriations for protective body armor for K-9 officers. It is a sad truth that these dogs are injured or worse because police departments lack the necessary funding to outfit both their human and their K-9 officers with bulletproof vests. Despite many private vest donations, hundreds of K-9s are still working without the protective equipment that they need, which is why WSPA is supporting the "One Dog, One Vest" bill that would provide funding for K-9 body armor.

In early 2001, WSPA launched a campaign to raise public awareness about this issue. As part of the effort, K-9 officers from across the country were chosen to receive protective vests from WSPA. Working with the North American Police Working Dog Association (NAPWDA), WSPA was able to identify six deserving dogs, from as close to home as our office base in Framingham, Massachusetts, to as far away as El Paso, Texas. These vests offer full protection to the dog's back, chest and underbelly against most bullets, stab wounds and some forms of explosives. The combination ballistic vests cost about $650 and weigh less than four pounds.

At the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum in Miami, Florida, there is a K-9 Memorial which commemorates the lives of the courageous dogs who have served and fallen to protect our communities. Inscribed on the memorial is a poem dedicated to these dogs which begins with these three lines: "Born to love, Trained to Serve, Loyal to the End". Recognizing the unwavering loyalty and bravery exhibited by police dogs, the goal of WSPA's K-9 vesting campaign has been to educate the public about the need for police canines to be outfitted so that they can perform their duties with the best protection available. In light of their selfless devotion, it seems to be the least that we can do.

To help safeguard the police dogs where you live:

• Contact your local and state police departments to learn how many canine officers are on duty in your area and if they have protective gear.
• Organize your own fundraiser for a dog in your town. (This is also a GREAT project for school children.)
• Determine if there is an organization in your state that is working to pass laws and raise funds to provide gear for these animals and find out how you can contribute to their mission. Police dog associations, animal protection organizations and breed rescue groups (especially those that focus on German Shepherds and other working dogs) might be able to help you with this information.
• Write letters to your local, state and federal representatives, calling on them to pass legislation that would mandate funding for protective gear for all police working dogs.
• Visit the National Vest-A-Dog organization at www.dogvest.com for additional information about how you can start your own dog vesting group to protect police K-9's.