DBusiness: Zebra K9 in Holly Expands Use of Firearm Safety Dogs
Zebra K9 in Holly, a provider of canine weapons detecting services, is now providing its services to Lakeview Public Schools in St. Clair Shores and Van Dyke Public Schools in Warren
By: Jim Stickford | DBusiness | September 8, 2023
Zebra K9 in Holly, a provider of canine weapons detecting services, is now providing its services to Lakeview Public Schools in St. Clair Shores and Van Dyke Public Schools in Warren
The districts used state of Michigan school aid funding for school safety and mental health to underwrite the cost of the safety dog teams.
“Many of the traditional security measures that are implemented, while good and necessary, are reactionary, not preventative or deterrent solutions,” says Greg Guidice, founder, president, and CEO of Zebra K9. “Our safety dog teams create a proactive, visual, and word-of-mouth deterrent that discourages potential threats and enhances overall safety by detecting firearms, ammunition, and explosives whether they are hidden in a backpack, purse, bag, waistband, jacket, or locker.”
Karl D. Paulson, superintendent of Lakeview Public Schools, says: “Lakeview Public Schools puts a high priority on student and staff safety. Initiating canine units to prevent weapons or drugs in our buildings through Zebra K9 is a very important tool in our safety protocols.”
In addition to Lakeview Public Schools and Van Dyke Public Schools, Zebra K9’s current school clients include Avondale School District in Auburn Hills, Huron Valley Schools in Highland Township, and Williamston Community Schools in Williamston.
“Our Zebra K9 team made an immediate positive impact in our schools,” says Adam J. Spina, superintendent of Williamston Community Schools. “The team has effectively added an additional layer of security to our buildings while establishing meaningful relationships with our community. The safety and social-emotional benefits of the team were validated through community survey data collected at the end of the last school year.”
The company’s K9 teams also have played a role in enhancing security at various events, including concerts, sporting venues, and social gatherings, according to Zebra. Their presence is meant to send a message that safety is a top priority with the goal of creating a more relaxed atmosphere, and contributing to a safer and more enjoyable experience.
Dogs are the most accurate, reliable, and cost-effective option for firearm and explosives detection. A dog’s nose has up to 300 million olfactory receptors to detect and discern smells and odors, compared to a paltry 6 million in humans, Zebra says.
The part of a dog’s brain dedicated to analyzing smells is about 40 times greater than that of humans. According to Alexandra Horowitz, senior research fellow and adjunct associate professor at Barnard College whose research specialty is dog cognition, humans can notice a teaspoon of sugar added to their coffee, while dogs can detect a teaspoon of sugar in 1 million gallons of water – the volume of two Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The benefits of Zebra K9 teams include:
Detecting black powder, the substance found in ammunition.
The ability to search backpacks, lockers, restrooms, bleachers, school grounds, stadiums. and events.
Acting as a visual and word-of-mouth deterrent.
Offering social and emotional support when not actively searching.
Providing safety and peace of mind.
Working closely with school resource officers, local law enforcement and/or onsite security as another layer of prevention and detection.
Zebra K9’s team has trained and managed hundreds of explosives and narcotics-detection canines and K9 teams and have provided security for a vast range of clients ranging from world presidents to school students.