Cpl. Jason Bailey and Owen / Courtesy photo
A K9 police dog with the Fayetteville Police Department will soon receive a new bulletproof and stab-proof ballistic vest, thanks to a charitable donation.
The dog, named Owen, is a German Shepherd who has been with Fayetteville police since January 2015. He is currently partnered with Cpl. Jason Bailey and is a dual-purpose police dog trained for narcotics detection and officer protection.
K9 vests are designed to cover all the dog’s vital organs, and are typically cut from the same Kevlar bulletproof cloth as those made for humans.
The donation comes from the Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. as part of a fundraiser hosted by the Staten Island Companion Dog Training Club.
Vested Interest is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping provide protective wear and other assistance to law enforcement dogs throughout the country. Since formed in 2009, the organization has provided over 1,800 protective vests in 49 states through private and corporate donations at a cost of over 1.6 million dollars, according to a news release.
All vests are custom made in the United States by Armor Express in Central Lake, MI.
Owen is expected to receive the new vest in 8-10 weeks, according to Fayetteville Sgt. Craig Stout.
