[Photo above provided by Rex Specs K9]
On September 19th, Mexico was rocked by a 7.1 earthquake creating havoc and trapping many under the wreckage and debris. Aftershocks followed, only worsening search conditions. Search and rescue handlers and their K9 partners responded to the call.
K9 Hunter - Coyote tan Rex Specs with smoke lens
Calvary Canine was also called upon when we learned that a representative from the Mexican government was reaching out to American retailers looking for eye protection on behalf of the search dogs. The hazardous environmental conditions were causing great concern for K9 eye injuries among the handlers that didn’t have eye protection for their dogs, and those that were using K9 eye protection were in need of replacement lenses due to damage from the debris. They had exhausted the local retail supply and were desperate for assistance.
On Monday, September 25th, Calvary Canine partnered with Superfit Canine, an authorized Rex Specs retailer, to send 6 new pairs to Mexico to be used by teams tasked with searching the rubble for those trapped below.
We are proud to be able to help K9 handlers and their dogs with their time-sensitive equipment needs and ensure they could safely complete their mission. But Calvary Canine wants to be proactive. Our mission is to provide equipment and training to search dogs that will help them be safe and successful when deployed out in the field. And we need your help to do it!
The earthquake in Mexico is just one example in the last few months where search dogs have been deployed in response to a natural disaster. Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, and Hurricane Maria have devastated numerous cities, impacting hundreds of thousands of people. In a time where our country is divided on so many issues, we know that when a person is trapped under the rubble, praying to be found, search dogs do not define them by race, creed, or color, but rather by their humanity and their need for help.
Calvary Canine honors all the search dogs and their handlers who have spent years training, sacrificing time away from their families, and upwards of $10K a year of their own money to keep their dogs mission ready. Whether they are deployed with a federal task force, regional response team, or foreign government. Whether they locate trapped survivors or help bring closure to the families of those who were not as fortunate. We are here to ensure that each and every one of them receives the training and equipment they need to be ready when they are called upon.
That is why Calvary Canine feels privileged to be able to step up when these search dogs needed our support.
We encourage you to learn more about how you can support search dogs and their life-saving work by visiting our website.
Read this K9 Cop Magazine article about Mexican Navy K9 Frida and see Rex Specs in action.
Interested in purchasing a pair of Rex Specs? Superfit Canine, our partners in supporting the Mexican search dog teams, offer the full Rex Specs line along with other great search dog gear.