The entire world suffered when the city of Paris was shut down by recent terrorist attacks. Countries around the world rallied to support France. After news broke that Diesel, a French police canine, was killed in the line of duty during anti-terror raids in the city, Russia decided they would do their part to help in a unique way. The country has released a new design of body armor to keep military and police dogs safe in the field.
The ‘Nord Body Armor’ was reportedly designed by Russia’s Scientific Production Association of Special Materials (NPO). The association, based in St. Petersburg, was created during the days of the Soviet Union, and it was intended to be a specialists armored materials laboratory.
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The new canine body armor is a protective vest that is made up of two parts: a piece that protects the working dog’s chest and neck, and an additional piece that is available to protect the canine’s legs. In a new video, which you can see below, a Russian dog handler named Vladimir Khitrykh demonstrates how the Nord Body Armor keeps dogs safe.
Khitrykh explains that the dog did not like the vest at first, but with a little incentive she learned to wear it proudly. Now the handler can put the vest on his dog in about one minute’s time. The announcement of the body armor came just days after Moscow showed their support for France by donating a puppy to the city’s police department.
The puppy was donated in memory of Diesel, a seven-year-old Belgian shepherd who was killed when police raided the hideout of terrorist Abdelhamid Abaaoud located in Paris. The new puppy, Dobrynia, will be trained to continue Diesel’s very important work. The entire world was moved by Moscow’s gift, and now military and police dogs around the world will hopefully be able to benefit from the debut of Nord Body Armor.
What’s amazing to me about all of this is how dogs can bring the world together in the height of crisis.
As the world mourned for the victims of the Paris terror attacks, it was hard to find anyone with hope. Discourage and despair plagued countries around the world, and fear grew in the hearts of millions. But that’s exactly what terrorists want – to be feared.
What they don’t realize is that the fear only grows for a short time. It is quickly replaced with pride for our countries, hope, and love for our fellow man. When Diesel passed, the world mourned. Then Moscow sent a small puppy that helped to start the healing process.
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The goodwill gesture resonated around the globe. Dog lovers rejoiced, but that wasn’t all. All over the world, people with respect and appreciation for military dogs saw the hope that was symbolized by this puppy. Dobrynia is now a worldwide symbol for strength and courage in the face of hostility.
Anyone that has ever seen a military or police dog in action can understand the amazing abilities of these animals. Anyone that says that they are “just dogs” has never experienced the undying devotion that a canine has for his master. They’ve never heard the stories of search and rescue dogs who have found children lost in the woods or police dogs that have taken down a criminal who is pointing a gun at innocent victims.
And these people have certainly never heard the story of Diesel, the military dog who went in to clear a house full of terrorists. A dog who died protecting the soldiers that fight to protect all of us. Hopefully this new Nord Body Armor will become available to all dogs in the field that are put in harm’s way each and every day.
