Our grant for this month goes to Kim Cooper, the team manager of the Ottawa Valley Search and Rescue Dog Association (OVSARDA), a non profit organization staffed by volunteers who train and handle dogs in search and rescue operations.

In her words: “One of our most common calls is to help locate a drowning victim, whose body is still under the water. Yes, dogs can smell a body under water. We train the dogs for this role using divers (or ca-divers, as we call them). However, divers are not available as often as we would like. A device called a scent generator would allow us to train more frequently.”

The device is a fascinating machine made from a diver’s tank, regulator, pressure gauge and tubing that pumps scents under water to a specific spot.

OVSARDA is a member of the Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Assn, which is partnered with the OPP. Their dog teams are tested and certified annually by the OPP K9 officers at the K9 Academy in Gravenhurst, Ont. and are certified through the International Police Work Dog Assn.