Behind the Badge
She calls herself the “fairy godmother of bulletproof vests for K-9s.”
OK, so that may sound like a niche position. But it suits Suzanne Saunders just fine.
For the past 20 years, the Culver City resident has dedicated herself to rounding up funds to provide more than 180 of the protective vests for the canine companions of law enforcement officers across the state.
Saunders is the co-founder of the charity K-9 Armor, the only California nonprofit of its kind dedicated solely to raising funds to outfit police dogs with lightweight, custom-made body armor.
“There’s no one else just doing the vests,” said Saunders.
From left, Santa Ana PD Corporal Martinez and K-9 Wick, K-9 Armor co-founder Suzanne Saunders, and Santa Ana Officer Salas with K-9 Nik attended a recent Apprciation Day hosted by the Orange County Police Canine Association. Photo courtesy K-9 Armor.
While there are other larger, well-funded charities nationally that outfit first responder dogs, Saunders’ is the only charity dedicated exclusively to California law enforcement agencies.
Many of the other larger charities also provide other services, such as veterinary care or training – one even supplies NARCAN kits to protect dogs from accidental or intentional opioid injections.
“Each K-9 has a special place in my heart,” said Saunders, who has worked with police and sheriffs up and down the state.
Recently, Sauders had a booth at a vendor fair at the Orange County Police Canine Association Community Appreciation Show, and she has also worked to vest dogs with the Los Angeles Police Canine Association.
Earlier this year, Saunders got the ultimate payoff for the kind of work she does when LA Sheriff’s K9 Kjeld survived a gunshot thanks to a protective vest. Although it was donated by another charity, the vesst is the same model Saunders and K-9 Armor provide, and proof positive of the importance of the equipment.
A 4-year-old Belgian Malinois, Kjeld, affectionately known as “Kid,” alerted to a suspect hiding under a tarp. The man, sought for questioning on an assault with a deadly weapon charge, was armed with a handgun.
The man fired once, striking the dog in his vest, but deputies were able to arrest the man without further incident. Kjeld was treated for his injuries by a veterinarian, released and later honored with the other deputies at a ceremony.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told ABC-7 News that if not for Kjeld a shootout with deputies could easily have occurred.
Anaheim PD Officer Young and K-9 Boone. Photo courtesy K-9 Armor
Thank you Animal Planet
Saunders remembers the genesis of her charity. In 2003, she says, she was watching television when a story on Animal Planet was aired about a girl who had raised funds for a protective vest for a police department in New Jersey after one of its police dogs had been shot in the line of duty.
Saunders was surprised to learn that few departments at the time had any gear for K-9 dogs.
In 2004, Saunders donated her first custom-fitted vest to Marin County Sheriff’s Deputy Daniel Marrett and his partner at the time, K-9 Verona.
With that, Saunders found her passion project.
A former volunteer EMT and information technology professional for 20 years, Saunders recently retired and is the only full-time member of the K-9 Armor board.
Although police dogs have been employed in the U.S. widely since the 1970s, and war dogs date back to ancient civilizations, the animals’ welfare is often an afterthought.
“No one had it in their budgets,” Saunders said. “And few (manufacturers) make kevlar vests in (a dog’s) shape.”
Even today, when there are an estimated 20,000-50,000 active police dogs and an entire cottage industry has grown to outfit the animals, funding still comes up short..
“A lot of departments are underfunded and relying on non-profits and fundraisers,” said Sandy Marcal, president of Vested Interest in K9s, a nonprofit in Massachusetts.
Not only that, but with the constantly evolving technology in protective gear, individual vests are not cheap. They can range from softer unreinforced training harnesses to protective custom-fitted gear with National Institute of Justice-certified body armor. Top-of-the-line gear can cost more than $3,500.
K-9 Armor is the only charity approved by the California Office of the Attorney General for the sole purpose of giving bulletproof vests to the police dogs of California agencies.
As Saunders tells donors, “Every K-9 hero deserves armor and with your approval, we will leave no K-9 behind.”
