El Cerrito's canine officer, King, will soon have his own bullet-proof vest, thanks to a donation from El Cerrito resident Ginger Cava.

King was fitted for the $750 vest Thursday by Suzanne Saunders, co-founder of Novato-based K-9 Armor, a nonprofit that accepts donations and arranges for the vests.

K-9 Armor is the only organization that provides "point-blank, Type III" vests with the same bullet-stopping power as those worn by human officers, Saunders said. The Kevlar vests are supplied by Banner Uniform of San Francisco, she said.

Cava, who works as a legal administrator at a San Francisco law firm, said she read recenty about vests being donated for police dogs in Richmond, and she wanted to do the same for El Cerrito.

By coincidence, she said, her first dog also was a German shepherd named King.

"I did grow up with dogs and the first German Shepherd Dog my family owned in Stockholm, Sweden was named King," she said in an email. She noted that she and her husband Randy are "profound dog lovers" who lost their beloved German shepherd, Laika, about five years ago.

"The King that I met yesterday, left me awestruck," she said. "His beauty and energy was worth every penny they paid and I am glad that I could help in any way to protect him."

Saunders said the vest should be ready in about two months.

King joined the department as active-duty "K-9 Officer King" on Nov. 5. He was fitted for the new vest at the Richmond police department, said El Cerrito police Sgt. Ian Wong.