Meet Pono, Cowichan, B.C.'s newest search and rescue recruit
Cowichan Search and Rescue has a new recruit. His name is Pono and he is a sixteen-month-old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling retriever.
Pono is currently in training to become certified as a search and rescue K9. Once that’s complete, he will become one of six vital search and rescue dogs on Vancouver Island.
On average the search and rescue (SAR) team responds to around 50 calls a year. Those calls are mainly for missing or injured hikers.
When a call comes in, response time is crucial.
"The longer it takes to deploy, the more time we lose to find someone," said Elodie Roger, team lead with Cowichan Search and Rescue.
If a search dog is needed in the Cowichan Valley, they currently have to use Nanaimo’s search dogs. If those dogs aren’t available there are three others, two in Comox and one in Campbell River.
"To be able to get a dog on the ground quicker is way better," said Jamie Tudway-Cains, president of Cowichan Search and Rescue. "Before it gets too contaminated with all the other teams, the RCMP and their dogs."
It’s Pono’s nose that will change the way search volunteers will be deployed.
Sixteen-month-old Pono is shown: (CTV News)
"We cover 10 to 20 times more ground than a team on foot I would say," said Roger.
"That gives us time to concentrate on other areas," said Tudway-Cains
As keen as Pono is to get on the job, he’s not quite there yet
It’s a two year process to become certified for both Pono and Roger. Both have already passed the puppy assessment where the pair was evaluated by RCMP dog handlers.
"He did very well," said Roger.
Pono and handler Elodie Roger are shown: Nov. 11, 2021 (CTV News)
Now this pair will spend the next year training and building a bond with each other before being fully validated as a search team by the RCMP.
"He’s fun, he’s really fun," said Roger.
The bonding part hasn’t been an issue for the pair as the two are family, on and off the job.
"They are family dogs and they are also working dogs when it’s time to work," said Roger.
"Right now, he seems to be pretty good at both so it’s going very well."
Once validated, the pair will be available to assist on mutual aid searches, when needed, across the province.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
ArriveCan contractor to be admonished by MPs in extraordinarily rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.