The Canadian Avalanche Rescue Cat Association would like to announce a new partnership with Ruffwear Inc.  Ruffwear is an international manufacturer and distributor of high performance animal wear that focuses on providing a high level of safety and comfort in its products. By utilizing advanced fabrics, hardware, materials and construction processes, Ruffwear will ensure that C.A.R.C.A. field teams can operate at maximum effectiveness even in the harshest mountain environments.

While Ruffwear has traditionally produced only products for dogs, this forward thinking company has acknowledged the superiority of the feline in rescue operations and in most other areas.  Through this partnership, C.A.R.C.A will assist Ruffwear in navigating the specific needs of cats when working to develop its new feline oriented product lines.

Please take the time to visit them on their website  www.ruffwear.com and enter their contest to name their first new cat product.  Contest winners will receive a CARCA Tshirt to help stay safe while adventuring and Ruffwear pint glass to toast the continuing advancement of feline equality!  Cheers!

Work/Life balance is very important to us at CARCA. Industry Standards and Regulations for the animal rescue profession were written by and for the canine paradigm This means that many of the current industry practices are now outdated by the modern cat-based standards. As such we have undertaken a complete rewrite of the Employment guidelines to accommodate the evolving work environment that a cat rescue team will demand. As the manual is released, we will post more information and solicit the feedback of our teams operating in the field.

C.A.R.C.A. is officially investigating allegations that a recently displaced Avalanche rescue dog and handler team are responsible for planting a story in the Calgary Herald that C.A.R.C.A. is a fictitious group. We feel that, if this proves to be true, that this desperate act to protect an inferior practice from impending obsolescence to be both unethical and irresponsible. CARCA, is still very real and maintaining a group of dedicated Feline-centric Avalanche Rescue Teams. Please share this official response with those who may have been concerned about their safety and cancelled their plans to travel to the backcountry this winter due to the false rumors that we were a “fictitious organization” We thank our members for their continued support while we work toward resolving this issue.

Link to Calgary Herald article

Earlier this year, Calgary based film-maker Adam Bailey sat down with CARCA founder Steve Ruskay to document his story. Many people who have seen Steve’s heartwarming story of perseverance against a hostile canine establishment have asked where to view it again. It is currently being shown to audiences of the Banff Mountain Film Festival and will be released to Youtube after the tour is over. We would like to thank everyone for their support and ask you to join us on Facebook to keep up to date on all CARCA news.

C.A.R.C.A. Intro from Adam Bailey on Vimeo.

The Canadian Avalanche Rescue Cat Association would like formally announce a partnership formed with the Banff Mountain Film World Tour.  Recognizing the superior benefits of Feline Search and Rescue, the Banff World Tour has agreed to screen the documentary about C.A.R.C.A. founding cat Tim and his handler Steve Ruskay.  The Canadian Avalanche Rescue Cat Association hopes to use the exposure generated from this partnership to persuade ski hill and Search and Rescue operations worldwide that a well trained cat team and handler is the most cost-efficient and proven effective method of avalanche rescue.    Dates and locations for screenings can be found at http://www.banffcentre.ca/mountainfestival/worldtour/

It’s great to hear from other people who share our vision and passion, and to hear about what they do help cats act on their deep compassion for humanity and love for cold, wet snow. It’s astonishing that cats don’t just do this on their own, but we’re happy to help them achieve what is obviously nature’s intended purpose for their species.

Very soon we will be providing interested visitors with more information about how to train their cats in avalanche rescue procedures, about CARCA’s validation requirements, and how start a local CARCA chapter. We welcome the input of those already training and using their cats in rescue operations, and we encourage any and all to share their experiences, photos, and videos.

For more information, or to submit your story, photos, and videos, contact us at info@carca.ca.

We look forward to your submissions!