Collective Protection for Military Working Dogs

Shelter enclosures for military working dogs in the event of a CB attack is a technology gap identified by the Joint Requirements Office. Important parameters to consider in the design of protective enclosures include low weight and size to minimize transport requirements; rapid setup; and accommodation of canine physiological and psychological comfort needs while providing protection against CB agents. The overall operational weight of the enclosure would also be a function of its power requirements which in turn is a function of its operating mode. Agave BioSystems, in collaboration with Gentex Corporation and Dr. Joseph Wakshlag of the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, is developing protective enclosures for military working dogs that meet these requirements. In the Phase I, this team was highly successful in defining the canine physiological and psychological parameters of importance to enclosure design; developing multiple designs to allow consideration for both powered and non-powered enclosures as well as active and passive materials; and demonstrating proof of concept for the protective capacity and long-term kenneling suitability of the designs.