Police Dog Cirrus Gets Bullet-Proof Vest

Cirrus, the South Whitehall Township police dog, has his protective vest.

Last week, Officer Kyle Golden brought his partner, the 3-year-old black German shepherd, to the township commissioners meeting to thank the people who helped make the $1,300 purchase possible.

Hounds On Working Leashes, also known as HOWL, is a South Whitehall Township-based organization that raises money to buy custom-fitted vests for service dogs to protect them from bullets and knives.

This summer, HOWL raised money with a hoagie sale through Primo Hoagies and a breakfast at Applebee’s to help buy Cirrus' new vest.

Commissioners presented HOWL founders James and Lori Kutz with a proclamation thanking them for their service. They have helped supply about 10 dog vests in the Lehigh Valley to police departments in Allentown, Catasauqua and Salisbury Township.

The Kutzes and some friends started HOWL to help buy safety equipment for emergency service K9s in Allentown. But after talking with police department handlers and seeing news reports of police dogs killed in service, the group began to explore purchasing protective vests for police dogs. 

They asked handlers why the dogs didn’t have vests and most said it was because they were too bulky and hindered the dog from performing its duties.

After doing some research, HOWL learned of bulletproof and stab-proof custom-fit vests for police dogs, made by a company in California, that do not hinder the dogs in their work.