More than $2,600 was donated to the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office for alarms that will protect police dogs in case the inside car temperature gets too high.

Members of the Salisbury Kennel Club Charitable Trust made the donation after asking about deputies’ needs, said Julia Crawford of the kennel club.

“We had been donating stab-proof and bulletproof vests in Wicomico County. We asked the sheriff’s office what their priority is, and they unequivocally said what they really needed was heat sensors,” Crawford said.

Crawford said when the inside temperature of a vehicle reaches a certain point, the sensor rolls down the windows and sets off a siren and flashing lights. Immediately, the handler is notified.

Along with it is a bail-out, so the dog can be released from the car if an officer is in danger and needs its assistance.

“I had spoken earlier on to one of the officers,” Crawford said.

“He said the vest is wonderful but, he said, ‘The greatest worry I have is when I’m away from the vehicle and the vehicle is left running and the air conditioning is on, but if that vehicle for some reason stops running, there is no way that I know and that dog is in a hot car,’” Crawford said.

“So, through the charitable trust, we have donations from registration fees people pay when they participate in dog walks and we used the money for these two heat sensors,” Crawford explained. She called the relationship between the dog and its handler “wonderful” and the cost of a trained dog “astronomical.”

Capt. Babe Wilson of the sheriff’s office said he’s grateful for the donation and that the sheriff’s office “genuinely appreciates the purchase of these invaluable pieces of equipment by such caring citizens.”

Kennel club members have also donated dog protective vests to police agencies and oxygen masks to the fire department.

Another kennel club fundraiser is planned for Sept. 20, on Responsible Dog Ownership Day.

Contact Susan Canfora at scanfora@newszap.com.