The Delta Police force lost a valued member this week when, after nine dedicated years, Caber the dog retired from active service.
Caber, a yellow Labrador retriever, has served with distinction as Canada’s first dedicated Victim Services K9 after being donated by the Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS), a non-profit that breeds, raises and trains dogs in order to partner them with people living with disabilities.
While most people associate police dogs with the pursuit and capture of criminals, Caber played a different role as a facility dog, where his gentle nature helped comfort more than 2,000 victims of crime and trauma, including those in distress from house fires, domestic violence, sexual assault, accidents, suicide or homicide. These support animals help people by in a variety of ways, including reducing blood pressure, lowering heart rates and increasing oxytocin levels while reducing the negative effects of the stress hormone cortisol.
“Caber’s impact is far reaching but it is, perhaps, most felt by the individuals who he comforted,” said dog handler Kim Gramlich. “Some of our clients I think about often are the boy who could only be consoled by Caber after learning of his father’s death or the young girl who was only able to testify against her abusers because of Caber’s unfaltering support in court.”
Caber also played an important role aiding distraught Delta high school students after the 2010 murder of 15-year-old Laura Szendrei. His legacy extends beyond the Lower Mainland after providing support to the community of Fort McMurray after the 2016 wildfire, and he was also on the scene to assist people in need after the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. Caber was one of eight dogs that worked alongside the FBI’s Office for Victims Assistance, providing help to victims and families in the aftermath of the tragedy.
“Because Caber was the first of his kind in Canada, he became known in the department and on social media as The Dogfather,” said Delta Police Chief Neil Dubord. “His legacy is sure to be long and lasting.”
There are now over 46 justice facility dogs working across Canada. Gramlich also founded Justice Facility Dogs Canada, which advocates for the continued use of these dogs in Canadian Courts.
“We are so proud of Caber; he has not only been an exceptional justice facility dog, he started it all,” said PADS executive director Laura Watamanuk. “Because of Kim’s efforts — with Caber at her side — justice facility dogs can now be found in Victim Services Agencies all across the country. They meet people on their very worst day, helping them face it with hope and gentle friend. We look forward to following Caber’s retirement adventures and sincerely hope his days are filled with walks, bananas and all the belly rubs he so deserves.”
While Caber is moving on to a well-earned retirement, a new golden retriever named Puma has been provided by PADS and was sworn in by Chief Dubord on Oct. 7.
