CRSAR currently has members training and working towards becoming certified PEP SAR Dog Teams. The use and success of using dog teams on searches is becoming recognized universally. In order to qualify as a team in B.C., a number of requirements must first be met. They are:

Potential handlers must be registered with the Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) as an active member of a local PEP Ground Search and Rescue (SAR) Group and be GSAR certified.

All handlers must hold a valid St. John's Standard First Aid Certificate or equivalent and must be in good physical condition, be competent in wilderness environments, and have a genuine interest in dogs and the SAR Dog program./

1. Application for acceptance as a PEP SAR Dog Team in Training must be made first to the local Search and Rescue Team.
2. If approved, the local RCMP Dog Handler will certify that the applicant and dog are suitable for training.
3. The application is then forwarded to the RCMP Pacific Region Dog Service Supervisor for approval and is then sent on to PEP. This approval process will include a security check.
4. At completion of training, an evaluator as designated by the RCMP Pacific Region Dog Service Supervisor will carry out the evaluation.

The Dog Team will then be re-evaluated on an annual basis.

When the PEP SAR Dog Team has been successfully certified, they may then be called upon by either the RCMP or PEP to work on a search under the direction of the RCMP Dog Team assigned to that search.