Retired search and rescue rope sparks unique partnership and upcycled toys for lucky dogs everywhere

 

Coast Ropes has partnered with Coquitlam and Kamloops Search and Rescue (SAR) teams to help sell dog toys made from retired search and rescue rope, and retired rope from Coast Ropes and
Climb Base5’s retired rope.

“I noticed a Coquitlam SAR social media post about dog toys made from retired rope that they were selling and saw an opportunity to help them so I reached out to see if we could assist them,” says Ryan Lewis, director of operations for Coast Ropes.

Coast Ropes has offered to not only donate retired rope towards this effort but to sell the toys in both their physical and online stores with all proceeds going to both Coquitlam and Kamloops SAR teams.

“It is amazing to have this support from Coast Ropes, who is well known in the SAR community as they are a provider of a lot of our rope rescue equipment. Now, they are directly helping to support SAR with their offer to sell these toys,” says Nick Zupan, president of Coquitlam SAR.

The idea for the toys was the brainchild of Tom Rankin, a volunteer with Kamloops SAR, who took the team’s retired ropes and turned them into dog toys as a fund-raising exercise. It kept the rope out of the landfill and produced a fun toy for dogs. Dwight Yochim, a member of Coquitlam SAR, adopted Tom’s idea and produced 150 toys, which quickly sold out. The rope came from Coquitlam SAR’s and Climb Base5’s retired rescue rope.

“Tom joined Kamloops SAR in 2022 and he has been doing a ton of work behind the scenes — organizing, cleaning and all the things that make the team’s life easier. Upcycling Kamloops SAR’s
rope into dog toys was just another awesome idea. It’s a planet-friendly idea, while raising funds and awareness for SAR groups. And, on top of it all, there will be some lucky and happy dogs,”
noted Diana Gerlof, director, membership coordinator, Kamloops SAR.

This unique partnership, combining retired rope and the knot tying skills of SAR volunteers with the ability to sell them through a company like Coast Ropes, will help support search and rescue and allow pet parents to feel good about their purchase.

The BC Search Dog Association has already ordered 30 dog toys for their fall training camp and Good Dog daycare in Port Coquitlam and Port Moody has offered to help sell them.
Police dog Mavrick loves his new rescue rope toy (Handler Dan Di Paola with the RCMP Lower Mainland Integrated Police Dog Service).

To purchase a toy:

Online or in Burnaby: Coast Rope: #102 – 6939 Hastings Street, Burnaby, B.C. or www.coastrope.ca
In Kamloops, contact Tom at: tom.rankin@ksar.ca
In Coquitlam, contact Dwight at: dogtoys@coquitlam-sar.bc.ca

 

 

 

Media Contact:
Please direct requests for media questions or interviews through Dwight Yochim at dogtoys@coquitlam-sar.bc.ca or call 778-688-2295. Thank you for your interest and support
of search and rescue in B.C.!