Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association

2020 is behind us. Though there are many more challenges on the road ahead, we are grateful to have canine partners in it with us. Happy new year to you and your crew from CARDA.

Merry Christmas from your four legged friends at CARDA.

We are devastated to announce the unexpected passing of Henry. A great working dog, ambassador, and maybe most importantly...a best friend. https://www.facebook.com/henrywhistlerdog/posts/841033429980141

Hello from Whistler Blackcomb

Avalanche dogs everywhere are wishing everyone a safe winter backcountry season. The first avalanche forecasts of the winter are now live! Get the forecast, get hooked up with an avalanche course, learn about trip planning and backcountry rescue gear...all at www.avalanche.ca

We are really proud of the hard work, dedication and training from CARDA teams that makes being a resource in a technical recovery like this possible. Alpine Helicopters Inc. Parks Mountain Safety Men's Journal

Superpower Dogs is coming to Calgary March 20th! Learn more about Henry and Ian Bunbury in this cool clip:

Congratulations to Logan on his new partnership with Leroy! Thanks for taking the time to come instruct at the recent CARDA course too.

If you're up skiing at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, BC between January 6th and 10th and you happen to notice more howls and barks than usual, don't be alarmed! It's just us- avalanche rescue dog teams from all over BC, AB and the USA. Handlers and their dogs will be attending our annual General Training and Validation course at various levels- from puppies going all out their to achieve their in-training status, teams going for their first validation and becoming operational, all the way to Advanced teams back for some fun training and re-validation. Good luck to all the dogs and their handlers, and most of all, have a blast in the snow!! Photo credit: Erin Lynes

For Jamie McCaffrey, her SAR dog "Red" and SAR Manager Steve Scott; Revelstoke Search and Rescue is a family affair. The team is ready to fly under the helicopter on a long line so they can respond to hard to reach places where a helicopter couldn't land safely. #everysecondcounts

CARDA was recently in Zakopane, Poland for the International Commission for Alpine Rescue (ICAR). Tatrzaskie Ochotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe - TOPR were impressive hosts and put on this great outdoor day for the Dog Commission, demonstrating some of their teamwork between dogs and handlers, as well as their rescue pilot. Rob Grange

We will miss you Neko Your spirit lives on in the many Eromit Labrador Retrievers in our program inspired by your work ethic and joyous temperament.

Happy retirement Duke! Duke is one of only 6 police dogs certified in the avalanche profile (on top of his other police profiles). His handler Sgt. Chris Scott is an integral part of CARDA as well, contributing his vast operational knowledge as an instructor, as well as serving as one of our validators.

Today, on #internationaldogday, CARDA handlers and their canine partners would like to propose a toast to SAR dog teams world wide. THANK YOU for your passion and dedication to making a difference in missing persons searches, and to helping reduce risk to other rescuers. CHEERS Share and tag YOUR favorite SAR dog teams that could use a glass raised in their honour

Most of our teams are finished their work at ski resorts now. They remain on call for avalanche callouts with their SAR groups. We continue to train search and obedience objectives all summer long to help us be even better come next winter.

Game face x 2 !!

Go behind the scenes with Henry, an avalanche rescue dog in Whistler, Canada. For more information about Henry and other Superpower Dogs, visit the website and find an IMAX showtime near you: http://www.superpowerdogs.com

Follow the link to learn about how CARDA dog handler Adam Sherriff and his partner Brooke were able to locate the missing Howse Peak climbers as part of a larger technical Parks Canada Visitor Safety SAR mission. Our condolences to the friends, family and tight knit mountaineering community as they struggle to deal with the loss. https://www.cbc.ca//banff-avalanche-climbers-recovery-1.51

CARDA congratulates Warden Mike Henderson on an exemplary K9 career with Parks Canada! Whether searching for the missing, or tracking down bad guys, "Hendo and Cazz" were always up for the task. We would further like to thank Mike for his service to CARDA where his experience, professionalism and mentorship have meant so much to so many. Happy retirement Hendo and Cazz!

National Puppy Day seems like a great time to announce our CARDA spring puppy assessment and FUNdamentals course May 3-6 in Penticton, BC! This course is to determine if young dogs have the "right stuff" to be accepted into the CARDA program and then provide them with some foundation skills to get them on the road to success. Eligible handlers are generally already working in the avalanche industry. They must show proof at a minimum of a CAA Ops Level 1, 80hr first aid course..., and be members of a mountain rescue group that responds to avalanche terrain. We are also looking for them to be members of their local SAR group and have a GSAR certificate or provincial equivalent. Handlers need to be strong backcountry skiers with basic mountaineering skills. Puppies assessed are between 6 months and 2 years of age, be of a suitable breed for avalanche rescue and be up to date on vaccinations.

Mogul and Megan are one of the many CARDA teams that work with various ski patrol programs throughout western Canada.

These dogs worked their hearts out at the recent CARDA course in Whistler and were definitely worthy of a podium finish! Left to right: Red/ Jamie McCaffrey( Revelstoke Search and Rescue), Piper/Julia (Wasatch Backcountry Rescue ) Freyja/Lindsay Eastwood ( Nelson Search and Rescue )

"Standing on the shoulders of giants." We wrapped up a great CARDA course in Whistler this week and give great thanks to all the amazing mentors, instructors, handlers and dogs that came before us.

HEY WHISTLER! Please join us next Friday night to show your support for the dogs and their handlers. LIVE AUCTION, SILENT AUCTION, 50/50 RAFFLE, DRINK SPECIALS, CARDA MERCHANDISE The Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association (CARDA) is a civilian non-profit charitable organization entrusted with the responsibility of using dog teams for avalanche search and rescue. ... The generous financial assistance from the public allows CARDA to continue with our mission of saving lives. http://www.carda.ca

Back where it all began... This year Whistler Blackcomb is the host of our annual winter CARDA course January 6-11th. @Bruce Watt

Ahhh, the classic avalanche dog and handler chairlift selfie CARDA dogs are busy working at resorts all over western Canada this holiday season. Show us your dog/handler selfies below Andrew Young