COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- K9 PRO WEAR™, the leading manufacturer of uniforms for professional service dogs, is pleased to announce that it has donated canine uniforms to the National Homeland Defense Foundation (NHDF) that has determined they will be provided to the Colorado Springs (Colorado) Police Department.
The uniforms will outfit the entire canine contingent of the department, in both the Canine and Airport units. Police service dogs assist officers in tracking and apprehension and searching for narcotics and explosives. Canine uniforms are used to help identify the police dogs and protect them from a variety of hazards that can injure or harm the animal.
“We’re thrilled to be able to donate uniforms to the National Homeland Defense Foundation,” said Linda Lazarowich, President of K9 PRO WEAR™. “Public safety is enhanced by having police service dogs in uniform. The professional image clearly identifies the authority and function of the animal; commands respect for the canine and will help eliminate confusion or misunderstanding by the public. The uniform also acts as a second skin to help protect the dog from potential injury from serious scratches, scrapes, slashes and punctures.”
According to Judy Lyle, NHDF Vice President, “the National Homeland Defense Foundation felt it important to recognize the Colorado Springs Police Department’s efforts with a donation of uniforms to not only identify but also comfortably equip their K9 teams in the city and at the Colorado Springs Airport. Protecting the home front is vital to our way of life.”
K9 PRO WEAR™ is the leading manufacturer of a full line of uniforms that protect and identify professional service dogs. Established in 2001, the company designs, manufactures and markets uniforms for the canine members of police and sheriffs’ departments, federal and state law enforcement agencies, and military working dogs.
BACKGROUND ON CANINE UNIFORMS BY K9 PRO WEAR™
K9 PRO WEAR™ uniforms are designed to meet and defeat a variety of environmental, occupational and natural challenges that affect the performance of working service dogs. Stress caused by prolonged exposure to adverse climate or extreme weather conditions, downtime injuries caused by serious scrapes, scratches, slashes or punctures, and continuous assault by natural pests during work can all impact on effectiveness and productivity and may lead to the premature retirement or death of a service dog.
To protect an investment in canine assets, uniforms serve as a first layer of defense against potentially dangerous or deadly scrapes, scratches, slashes and punctures and can be optionally equipped with armor fabric to protect vital organs. They can be outfitted with special COOL PACK™ accessories to provide protection during extreme heat or with synthetic fabric insulation to ward off the damaging effects of cold weather. Uniforms can be specially treated to repel natural pests such as fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. If necessary, they can also be immersed in water to provide rapid relief in case of heat stroke.
K9 PRO WEAR™ uniforms and accessories are manufactured from the same types and quality of materials used for human officers. Standard uniforms come with markings that permit positive sighting in a full range of lighting conditions and clearly identify the source of authority of the animal to minimize exposure to liability claims and cases of mistaken identity and to enhance public perceptions of working dogs in the law enforcement profession.
K9 PRO WEAR™ is the leading manufacturer of a full line of uniforms that protect and identify professional service dogs. Established in 2001, the company designs, manufactures and markets uniforms for the canine members of police and sheriffs’ departments, federal and state law enforcement agencies, and military working dogs.
BACKGROUND ON THE NATIONAL HOMELAND DEFENSE FOUNDATION
The National Homeland Defense Foundation (NHDF) is a registered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. The Foundation, through its Homeland Coalition™, encourages coherence and partnership in homeland defense among citizens of the United States, government at all levels, all military services and components, academia, corporate America and the media.
NHDF was established on the strength of five key assumptions:
- the threat from terrorism is serious and will not go away;
- our government and military alone should not be expected to defeat this threat;
- it is essential that civil society and institutions join the fight;
- Americans from coast to coast will answer the call; and,
- like-minded organizations will emerge around the world.
NHDF’s Military Family Assistance Project is a philanthropic program launched with a $1.25 Million grant to the Foundation in support of military families in Colorado. In keeping with NHDF’s operational and result-oriented focus, urgently needed resources are channelled directly to families of deployed military members without red tape or unnecessary delays. This initiative, complementing military efforts to take care of their own, is done with the full cooperation of the family support infrastructure of the Active, Guard and Reserve components.
NHDF sponsors the annual Homeland Defense Symposium held at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, CO. This year, the October 2 - 5, 2006 event will bring together those with a focus on homeland security, defense and disaster preparedness under the theme: Putting it all Together…Policy, Products, People!
