Provide Military Working Dogs with cool vests and other protective equipment .

Website

http://www.supportmilitayworkingdogs.org/

What is your idea to address an unmet need of service members, veterans and their families?

Upon request by military K9 handlers, we provide various protective equipment to their Military Working Dog (MWD). All items sent are free of charge to the requesting handler. Cool vests are provided for the MWD's being deployed into war zones. This keeps their core body temperature below 103 degrees to avoid heat stroke. Doggles are provided as eye protection from blowing sand and also provide UV protection. Mutt Muffs are provided for ear protection from the detonation of explosives, and from helicopter noise since teams are often transported for missions this way. Mutt Lukks are also sent to help prevent the paws from being burnt in the hot sand and rough terrain. Water bottles, reward items, beds and leashes are also sent upon request.

What specific population do you plan to work with? What is their unmet need?

Our mission is to provide for any deploying K9 handler and their MWD (Military Working Dog), with the items previously listed, as well as any individual requests, depending on specific need. If we are asked by a handler for any specific items, we do our best to find that item and ship it out ASAP. Please note that the items we ship out to these military handlers, are not military issue. These items are provided free of charge to requesting handlers of all branches of the military.

What is your implementation plan, and how would the $1,000 be used?

Military Dog Handlers contact us through our website to ask for equipment and to provide us an address for shipment. Many of the requests that we receive are from handlers who pass our name onto fellow K9 handlers in the field. We have also had the opportunity to visit military bases personally and deliver this specialized equipment to the handlers and their MWD’s in-person. Each “kit” of equipment we send out per MWD handler, cost approx. $400.00. This grant money would provide for 2-3 deploying K9 teams.

How are volunteers the key ingredient to your solution?

Everyone within our organization is with us as a volunteer. As volunteers, It is our job to go to different public events such as street fairs, K9 clubs, schools and pet events, to educate the public on the use of dogs in the military and the important role they play to our military members, as well as us back home in the states. It is through these means that we receive public donations to continue to provide for the needs of our military K9 teams.

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