K-9s get bullet-proof vests
Published: August 30, 2006
When Irwindale police Officer Jose Pedraza is in danger, a click of his trusty remote control immediately opens the door to the patrol car and his K-9, Ricky, comes to the rescue.
K-9s protect officers and reduce the amount of force used on a suspect, Pedraza said.
But the job of police dogs can be harmful and even fatal.
As a part of Breeder’s Choice “Protect-A-Hero” campaign, the Irwindale-based dog food company is donating a portion of its Active Care dog food sales to fund 100 bulletproof vests for K-9s nationwide.
Bullet wounds are the main cause of death in K-9s, said Phil Abreo, marketing manager for Breeder’s Choice Pet Foods.
The campaign protects K-9s from the “inside-out and outside-in,” he said.
Tuesday, nine K-9s from police departments in Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire, received bulletproof vests donated from Breeder’s Choice.
Although K-9 vests are not mandatory, some departments often do not have the funds to buy or replace them.
K-9 vests cost from $200 to $500 each and are manufactured with Kevlar, a ballistic material also used in bullet-proof vests.
K-9s detect bombs, narcotics, find evidence and protect their handlers.
Sgt. Luis G. Smith of the Los Angeles School Police Department said K-9s are the first to enter a potentially dangerous situation, and the vests help them do their duty.
Police dogs are trained to go after whoever is giving the handler any resistance, Smith said.
“The handler is like dad. If someone is beating up dad, you go and help dad, even if you grew up believing that dad will protect you. That’s the pack mentality,” Smith said.
When K-9s are off duty, they live with their officer.
“I spend more time with \ than I do with my friends and family,” Pedraza said.
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