Missing student's family hires cadaver dogs

The family of a missing Mount Allison University student has hired cadaver dogs to search for him.

Christopher Metallic, 20, has not been seen since Nov. 25, following a house party in Sackville.

The RCMP searched the areafor several days with a helicopter, police dog and ateam of divers.

Volunteers with the Tri-County Ground Search and Rescue and members of the Sackville Fire Department also participated in the search.

But with no new clues or information as to Metallic's whereabouts, the active search was called off on Dec. 4.

Metallic's great aunt, Tracy Metallic, told CBC News the family will now continue to search with the help of cadaver dogs.

The dog handlers, volunteers with the Ottawa Valley Search and Rescue Dog Association, are not charging for their services, but the the family will still have to pay for the cost of travel, accommodations and some expenses for the dogs.

The dogs are expected to arrive from Ottawa on Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday, said Metallic.

Family and friends continue to hold outhope Christopher will befound aliveand are urging anyone with information to come forward, according to recent posts on a Facebook group called Chris Metallic Please help us bring him home, which has more than 3,800 "likes."

Many say they believe someone must know something about what happened between the timeChristopher left a house party on Allison Street in Sackville at about 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 25 and police finding a pair of flip-flops he was wearing in a wooded area in Upper Sackville a couple of days later.

"I don't think he walked that far. I really don't," wrote Cheryl Lynn Ward. "Why would he venture to the outskirts of almost no where? 15 km at that. I don't know it just seems so very strange for him to be that far away from town."

Ev Poe agrees. "I'm feeling he did not walk the total distance. I'm thinking more than one other person knows and is not speaking. Feeling like someone drove him part way."

TheMetallic family is offering a $5,000 reward for information that helps locate him.

Christopher, who is originally from Listuguj First Nation in Quebec,is described as being aboriginal, six feet tall, 180 pounds, with short dark hair and glasses.

He was last seen wearing a shiny bright blue sweater, jeans and flip-flops.

Anyone with information is asked to call RCMP 1-888-506-7267 (RCMP).