News Article:
Donnelsville woman leads project
to help dogs beat Iraq heat
By Jessie Balmert, Staff Writer
Sunday, August 03, 2008

Donnelsville, Ohio — If dogs are man's best friend, Donnelsville resident Starline Nunley is dogs' best friend.

Nunley worked with Gem City Dog Obedience Club in Dayton and other donors to provide military working dogs with cooling vests, goggles and boots to help them survive the dangerously hot temperatures of Iraq.

About 335 military working dogs detect bombs and explosives, find drugs and provide therapy to U.S. troops, Iraqi children and citizens, said Nunley, creator of Military Working Dogs Cooling Vests Project, which raises funds to supply military working dogs with cooling gear.

Military working dogs can overheat or sand and asphalt can damage their feet and eyes, said Tech. Sgt. Kelly Mylott, kennel master at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Most military dogs don't have access to a veterinarian, she added.

"Now they can work for a longer period of time with much less discomfort," said Derek Kaufman, spokesman at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Nunley recently outfitted three Wright Patterson dogs for service with funds from a Warren County 4H club, Kaufman said. One dog's gear costs about $300.

All of the gear is lightweight, collapsible and nontoxic, Nunley said.

The project started when Nunley wanted to send a cool vest to her son, an Apache helicopter fighter pilot, she said.

Maj. Parker Frawley knew the vest would be too heavy for him, but was concerned about the military dogs, which were easily overheated in the up to 130-degree weather, Nunley said.

The Military Working Dogs Cooling Vest Project took off in May when Gem City paid to outfit the first dogs. Nunley has equipped about 46 dogs with gear in three months, she said.

Kennel masters and soldiers e-mail Nunley daily with requests for gear and thank-you letters, she said.

"We are greatly indebted to people like Starline Nunley who are providing for these dogs," Kaufman said.