News release from HTFx:
Good Samaritan Donates HTFx Canine Cooling Vest to New Haven Police Department Canine Unit
(July 13, 2012) – Mike and Carla Mowery, New Haven residents and good Samaritan, to donate K9 Cooling Equipment to the New Haven Police Department on Monday, July 16 at 4 pm at the New Haven Police Department, 815 Lincoln Highway East. On hand to receive the equipment will be Officer Scott Adams, K9 Trainer, Officer Brett Bollinger, K9 Trainer, New Haven Mayor Terry McDonald, New Haven Police Chief Steve Poiry and K9 dogs Remi and Britt. They will receive K9 cooling vests for the two K9s assigned to the department to help the K9s throughout the hot summer months.
After hearing of the passing of New Haven Police Department K9 dog Riley in 2011, Mike and Carla Mowery felt the desire to do something to benefit the dogs in memory of Riley. During a visit to the 2012 New Canal Days and witnessing the dogs struggling with the recent 90+ temperatures, they decided the best way to support the department was through the donation of a Cool Zone Dog vest.
The Adopt A Working K9 program was created at the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom to assist working K9s from military to municipality levels and keep them from the serious health risks associated with heat related illness when working in hostile environments (e.g. high desert heat indexes to confined spaces of collapsed structures). On more than one occasion the Humane Society and International Humane Society have purchased Cool Zone vests and cool pads for the working K9s in Iraq and Afghanistan to facilitate the dogs working under such harsh conditions.
Over the years, Good Samaritans have purchased the Coolzone cool vests and cool pads and donated these life-saving products to a law enforcement department of their choosing to facilitate the department’s K9’s ability to safely work during hot summer weather. This is a nation-wide program that has been supported by both business and good-hearted people that appreciate the value a hard-working K9 brings to law enforcement.
K9 health and performance in the function of a working dog is far more important than one typically realizes. Besides excellent sight and hearing, a working K9’s olfactory senses or ‘nose time’ refers to the dog’s ability to effectively detect and track scent(s). Their olfactory senses are exponentially greater than the best mechanical detection equipment available today. Whether it is arson detection, human or animal scents, incendiary devices, drug, agricultural or other contraband substances, working dogs carry a tremendous burden as we depend upon their ability to cut to the chase and assist in the job. To date, working canines that are assisting our military personnel in the hostile desert climates are attributed to preventing so many deaths and disasters while on duty downrange in the Iraq and Afghanistan theater of operations. But, military working dogs are only one facet of working dogs. There are many who assist our local municipalities, county, state, federal and civilian organizations that play an important role in everyday life.
Often overlooked or misjudged, we humans expect the K9 to work uninterrupted when we place them in a compromising environment – hot summer temperatures. We dress for the environment, they can’t. They’re wearing winter coats. Their body doesn’t expel heat like we can. They have to expel the heat off their lung and bronchial areas through panting. When tracking with fast metabolic activity, they’re creating more heat. When panting, the dog’s olfactory senses are bypassed, similar to our breathing through our mouth when exercising hard. When panting, the olfactory senses are less apt to detect the scent, so scent detection wanes greatly with each ongoing minute of negative effects of heat stress.
Is there a solution? Yes! A technology, originally developed with the encouragement of the military after Gulf War I, works harmoniously with the body of a K9 to absorb the excess body heat that builds up allowing the body itself to work as normal as possible in the given situation. HTFx has a scientific technology that keeps your K9 safe. This space-age Heat Transfer Formula Exotherm is manufactured right here in Ft. Wayne. The technology is one-of-a-kind and runs the gambit of products. Completely opposite of how ice or gel works, this technology is not only “green and eco-friendly”, it is NEVER too cold and can’t cause frostbite.
This intelligent technology from HTFx targets a specific temperature that solves the “overheating or cooling” problem by simply and passively keeping the animal from thermal overload. For more information on HTFx, our thermal cooling technology or the K9 Good Samaritan Program, visit us at www.htfx-inc.com or dog specific products www.coolzonedog.com or call 321-724-1022 x 106.