Zebulon nonprofit donates bulletproof vests for K-9s

A group of K-9s graduated from training, each leaving with a ballistic vest to protect them on the job.

The vests are possible by the Mona Pants Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to prioritizing animal safety.

Kathy Williams has coordinated the giveaway of over 100 vests.

"It's something nobody has the budget for. They aren't cheap," she said.

The foundation saw that many eastern North Carolina police departments and sheriff's offices were unable to provide protection on their own.

"We started reaching out to departments that couldn't afford vests, and we started buying them," she said.

Williams said the foundation provides vests, first-aid kits, pet oxygen kits and masks for free.

“Those dogs wouldn’t be protected if it wasn’t for the foundation," she said.

Tyler Hayes, a K-9 instructor and trainer for East Coast Canine, works closely with the foundation to provide all dogs who graduate from the programs with a vest.

"It's a heavier piece of equipment, so you can't just throw it on your dog and expect it to go on as its used to. You have to take time to acclimate them to the vest," Hayes said.

Hayes said part of his courses is dedicated to preaching safety.

"You can see success stories where dogs have been attacked, and the vests have stopped it and kept the dog alive," he said.

Last year, WRAL News reported on a Wake County K-9, Santos, that was killed in the line of duty. Santos was not wearing a vest.

He was accidentally shot while tracking a suspect into the woods in Knightdale. The Wake County Sheriff's Office said, "All of our apprehension canines do have a vest."

Department policy limits vest use to when K-9s are tracking violent offenders or in high-risk incidents, because the weight of the vest wears dogs out. Individual handlers decide – based on their training and experience – when their dog needs a vest, the department said.

Hayes said the vests can make the difference between life and death.

"Our vests don't cover every inch of our body, and these certainly don't for the dogs either, but when it comes to the important areas, they do," Hayes said.

One vest at a time, Williams said her commitment is to ensure that every department has the vests it needs.

"Many of them tell me they wouldn't have one if we didn't buy them for them," Williams said.

The Mona Pants Foundation is always looking for donations, and you can request a vest online.