A local entrepreneur decided to fight back against dog attacks, creating a Kevlar-lined vest to protect pooches from the teeth of larger dogs.
Allison Arnould and two business partners created the "K9 Guard" after witnessing a fatal dog attack.
The Delta women had also seen other attacks on the news, including a puppy killed in Yaletown by a dog that jumped from a cab, and a similar attack in Surrey that left a small dog with a punctured lung.
Disturbed by the frequency of dog attacks, which pose an even greater threat for small dogs, the pair decided something needed to be done.
"Why not make something that was bite-proof, puncture-proof, to at least give dog owners that opportunity to protect their dogs when they're out playing?" Arnould said.
One of the business partners came up with the idea of a dog-sized vest with panels made of the same material used in bullet-proof police vests. The K9 Guard looks like a regular doggie jacket, but covers the pups' vital organs and jugular area.
The design differs from vests worn by police dogs by including a high collar to protect the neck, and fleece or other fabric on top of the Kevlar.
There are thousands of dogs in the city, and some owners told CTV News they'd consider buying a vest.
"I think a lot of owners would probably feel a bit safer coming to dog parks, especially because some dogs are a little bit more aggressive than others," one dog owner said.
The vest may also protect small dogs from aggressive wildlife, like an eagle that attacked an Abbotsford Chihuahua last year.
"It gives the owner an opportunity to get their dog to safety before any real damage is done," Arnould said.
The K9 Guard can be purchased online for between $119 and $129, and is available for small, medium and large dogs.
With a report from CTV Vancouver's Nafeesa Karim
