It is with profound gratitude to Mick, Angela, Aoife Gavin and Ciara O'Malley the family members and partner of David Gavin for their support in recognizing the work of CCSC.  It is  and their willingness to bring awareness to others   

​

CBC Homestretch

RCMP and commercial divers searches were hindered by high water levels in the reservoir on the Columbia River.

This month, a volunteer team with specially trained dogs returned to the area of Kinbasket Lake, 166 kilometres north of Revelstoke.

It would be very final this time- Michael Gavin, father of David Gavin about his relief his son's body was found.

Brian Harmes is part of that group.

The Calgary-area volunteer joined the Canadian Canine Search Corps three years ago after finding his dog Koda at a SPCA shelter.

He tried to locate Gavin in August and April after the family asked for help.

On Saturday, Koda had success.

Harmes said thinking about that moment is overwhelming.

The Canadian Canine Search Corps, a volunteer group from Alberta, spent weeks searching for David Gavin in the Kinbasket Lake area north of Golden B.C., after he disappeared on June 30, 2017. (Canadian Canine Search Corps)

"I have a rush of emotion and goose bumps right now just talking about it. That's why we do this," said Harmes.

His group spends 350 hours training each year and survives by donations.​

He believes there are no more than a dozen dogs certified to find human remains in Canada.

​

CCSC was instrumental in locating the whereabouts of Tanner Schmuland with the assistance of the RCMP, Calgary Fire Department/dive team and the Strathmore Fire Department. 

One of our CCSC members receiving a Certificate of Appreciation from the Calgary Fire Department.

This certificate was accepted on behalf of some amazing CCSC team members who worked tirelessly in the recovery of a 27 year old man drowned in the fall of 2017.

Many organizations were involved in this search, CCSC being only one of them and all helped in bring this young man's family some closure