A Local K9 Safer On The Job With Donated Doggie Armor Embroidered With Message

WALNUT CREEK, CA —Zeke, the Walnut Creek Police Department’s K9 helper, received custom-fitted body armor thanks to a charitable donation.

The donation paid for a customized, embroidered stab- and bullet protective vest for Zeke.

The K9 vest was sponsored by an Indiana woman, Cheryl Hopper, and embroidered with the words, “In memory of Arthur L. Zimmerman.”

The nonprofit, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., matched the donor to Zeke.

Police canines are unique in that their spectrum of work ranges from authoritarian and punitive to participatory and community-based, according to an article by sociologists Auke van Dyke and Nick Crofts in Policing and Society.

Police dogs, K9 (or, K-9, both a homophone of canine), are specifically trained to assist in law enforcement agencies, according to the National Police Dog Foundation.

As many as 50,000 may be deployed in the field.

Police dogs are trained for specialized tasks such as tracking and attacking suspects or detecting narcotics, explosives, and firearms. Belgian Malinois and German Shepherds are the most common breed. But the type of dog employed for service often depends on the kind of work the K9 will perform, according to Project Paws Alive.

However, the expense required for a K9s is a major barrier for police departments searching to add a four-legged deputy to their teams, according to an Iowa congressman who introduced a bill to help law enforcement agencies pay for K9 veterinary care through a grant program.

In addition to purchasing pedigree dogs, extensive training costs of $12,000-$15,000 per K9. Feeding and keeping them healthy add to the costs. K9s face higher risks of developing illnesses like hip dysplasia, arthritis, and separation anxiety because of the tasks they perform, which requires high-quality, and potentially costly, veterinary care.