Canada ends Banff rescue dog program — BBC News
Canada’s Parks Canada service is ending its search-and-rescue dog program in the Canadian Rockies this month. The agency is eliminating its only dog handler position, which was based in Banff National Park in Canada. BBC News reports.
Parks Canada called it a difficult decision and said search-and-rescue operations would continue by other means. The agency explained the elimination of the position by the modernization of its law enforcement unit. Banff National Park, which is visited by more than 4 million people annually, is located in one of Canada’s most inaccessible mountain regions.
The program operated for 55 years
The dogs were used to search for hikers and skiers trapped under snow after avalanches, as well as people and children who became lost in the forest. Former dog handler Scott Ward, who worked in the Canadian Rockies for 17 years, noted that the dogs made it possible to search avalanche debris faster and reduced the risk to rescuers, who would otherwise have had to probe the snow manually.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
The program’s last service dog, a German shepherd named Leroy, finished work in August. During seven years of service, he helped track 156 people, find 57 people lost in the wilderness, and also contributed to solving two murders in Banff. According to the Rocky Mountain Outlook, a new dog had already been trained for work before the program was eliminated.
Petition against the cuts
The decision sparked protest: more than 5,000 people have signed a petition to restore the dog handler position since Tuesday. Its initiator, Conservative Party member of parliament William Stevenson, who represents the Banff area, said he supports limiting government spending but considers the cut a risk to public safety.
According to the Rocky Mountain Outlook, the program’s elimination is part of Parks Canada’s recent budget cuts of CAD 145 million. The agency also announced the upcoming layoff of hundreds of employees. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance Ryan Turnbull, responding to Stevenson’s appeal, said the government is focused on reducing the deficit and directing public funds toward growth, resilience and the well-being of Canadians.
