K-9 Armor - Page 1

 Armor to guard $50,000 dogs

K9 Storm's canine armor and communication systems help keep working dogs safe on the front lines of wars and police actions.

By Jonathan Blum
Last Updated: November 30, 2009: 1:53 PM ET
(Fortune Small Business) --

It's a tough world for man's best friend. Patrol dogs dodge bullets every day at home and risk their lives sniffing out trouble in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As a result, K9 Storm in Winnipeg, Canada, makes $5 million a year selling custom armor for dogs in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines and Special Forces; police departments in 13 countries; and security firms worldwide.

Next up, the 12-employee firm is offering a new way to communicate with canines. In 2010 it launches the K9 Storm Intruder, a bulletproof dog vest with a wireless camera, speakers and a microphone built in. The handler can see what the dog sees and issue commands through the audio system.

"This will change the way dogs are managed in emergencies," says Glori Slater, 47, vice president and co-founder of K9 Storm. "It will extend the range of the handler to 300 yards."

Slater's husband, Jim, is a former dog handler for the Winnipeg police department. For two terrifying days in 1996, he and his German shepherd Olaf helped subdue a prison riot in which the inmates were armed with makeshift weapons. Slater worried more for Olaf than for himself.

"He was out working ahead of our lines," he says. "I realized it would be a bad way for him to go down, stabbed with a screwdriver."

After the riot, Slater retrofitted a human flak jacket for his canine partner. That prompted orders from fellow canine officers, and soon K9 Storm was in business.

The Slaters spent 11 years perfecting the vest. Quality control was crucial, given that a poorly sewn seam can inflict crippling lesions on a dog that's on its paws for 12 hours a day. The Intruder is their lightest camera and audio system, weighing less than seven ounces.

The vest is not cheap. The Intruder system starts at $20,000. But the Slaters say they have dozens of preorders. Military working dogs are major investments, costing up to $50,000 each to purchase and train.

There also are plenty of donors stepping up to help cash-strapped municipalities buy the vests. Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, gave $250,000 to the Pittsburgh police and fire departments for canine armor.

The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which treats 50,000 animals a year, has received a $5,000 grant for dogs at Boston's police department from Roethlisberger.

"Suspects pursued by police will stab, shoot and kick working dogs," says Brian Adams, spokesman for the MSPCA-Angell veterinary hospital in Boston. "They are like any officer of the law. We want to protect them."

First Published: November 30, 2009: 1:43 PM ET


Find this article at:
http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/24/smallbusiness/k9_storm.fsb/index.htm

Being a K9-cops(Animal Planet), fanatic, I would have thought this as being a MUST in front line duties.
I was always upset thinking of the fact that the police send in the dogs first, with no protection at all.
Realyy good news, hope the whole K9 units get them. 

Body armor is great,
But the price is way way too much for what it is period.
Thats whats sad.

Moons:   Called Hwy Robbery... tHIS IS WHY WE ARE IN THE MESS TODAY ?

Just  same as  a pair of Medical boots prescribed by an Orthopedic Dr. for patient...with one steel bar in bottom and one arch support..Price to charge  Workmans Comp Insurance for the boots.?????  AND ONLY ON ONE FOOT  THE LEFT ONE!

$1,500.00 plus postage and insurance

NOw if Patient buys his own boot , takes the prescription to the prostetic shop and a steel bar to put in already cut, price to do the pair of shoes is   $250.00 plus a disposal fee.??  weird.?

yr.

Mark up on some things is just that robbery.

This ladies and gentlemen, is the foundation of capitalism that you so often fear is dying. You cannot have it both ways. YR, a custom fit item, which might be necessary, is probably worth the cost, given that one does not need additional pain and discomfort with ill-fitting brace etc. However, two years ago I went to the ER with a kidney stone and I have no health insurance. Cost for 3 hours, two bags of saline IV and two pain shots and one pill to help relieve UT spasms was $5,800. When I complained, later I asked what it would have cost had I insurance......about $3,000 less was the answer. This is exactly part of what is wrong..............

This ladies and gentlemen, is the foundation of capitalism that you so often fear is dying. You cannot have it both ways. YR, a custom fit item, which might be necessary, is probably worth the cost, given that one does not need additional pain and discomfort with ill-fitting brace etc. However, two years ago I went to the ER with a kidney stone and I have no health insurance. Cost for 3 hours, two bags of saline IV and two pain shots and one pill to help relieve UT spasms was $5,800. When I complained, later I asked what it would have cost had I insurance......about $3,000 less was the answer. This is exactly part of what is wrong..............

If someone is willing to pay for it that much, then charge it. Yes that is capitalism. They can charge million if they want. And if someone pays it ?  Why not?  Things are worth what anybody is willing to pay for it.  I would not pay that much,  I would go to competition.  It's called voting with my dollar. And freedom.
Prager Hans
http://www.alpinek9.com

Hodie:   Did the $5,800.00   get rid of the Kidney stone?    

Slipped in a store three yrs ago., was taken to ER,  sprained ankle and busted blood vessels in top of foot...45 mins cost the store $ 4,459.00  but they billed me..Took me a year to get the Store to pay the  bills  , and that included two drs and radiologist to read the xray and tell them it was sprained, not broken bones...and 4 visits to my chiropracter.

I refused to pay and spent weeks on phone and legal letters...Slip and fall is a joke . Jelly on floor is not the stores' fault...LOL       No attorney will bother with a small insignificant case here in Smith Co...  lol

I have been hurt worse by working my own dogs , but when you slip on Jelly on store floor left there , it is not my delight to pay for being seen to make sure I still have all my vertebrae in tact..lol   

YR

About a year ago a little girl here in Whitehouser, Tx.   started a campaign to raise money for the K9 on the PD force..It made headlines as she   was only 11 yrs old...Showed her presenting the dog and the officer the Vest..do not know what the cost was but not the amount quoted above.

YR