An Oceanside police dog models its new vest

June 15, 1999
Web posted at: 9:46 p.m. EDT (0146 GMT)

OCEANSIDE, California (CNN) -- A K-9 police dog unit in Southern California is safer thanks to the efforts of a 10-year-old girl.

All six of Oceanside's police dogs have been outfitted with bulletproof vests as a result of a fund-raising campaign started by young Stephanie Taylor.

The sixth-grader said she was saddened by the death of a New Jersey police dog named Solo, who was killed in the line of duty.

A Southern California company makes bulletproof vests for canines, lighter versions of the ones that officers wear. But the city's police department couldn't afford to outfit its K- 9 unit at a cost of $475 each.

That's when Stephanie took matters into her own hands.

"I heard of other people doing fund-raisers, so I started one myself," she said.

Her efforts were a huge success. She raised enough money in just one month to buy vests for the entire K-9 unit.

Stephanie now hopes to continue the campaign until all 100 police dogs in San Diego County are given vests.