Canadian Wings of Rescue delivers 12 cats from FSJ to Victoria

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Robert Adriaanse and his son Thomas. (Canadian Wings of Rescue, submitted)

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — What started as a planned flight to relocate a dozen rescue cats from Fort St. John to Victoria turned into an unexpected road trip due to weather challenges.

Volunteer pilot Robert Adriaanse, flying with his son Thomas on behalf of Canadian Wings of Rescue (CWOR), was transporting 12 rescue cats to their new homes on Vancouver Island on October 22nd.

A completely volunteer-run charity, CWOR coordinates volunteer pilots across Canada to transport animals in need to shelters, fosters or adoptive homes.

Adriaanse said he departed Fort St. John just after sunrise, following careful weather checks and consultations with the Kamloops Flight Information Centre.

Following a planned fuel stop in Quesnel, the flight encountered stronger-than-expected headwinds and deteriorating weather conditions.

As conditions worsened near the Coast Mountains, a major mountain range stretching across all of the B.C. coast to the Fraser River, Adriaanse made the decision to land in Lillooet.

The plane was forced to land in Lillooet due to weather conditions. (Canadian Wings of Rescue, submitted)

On the ground, Adriaanse and his son were met by Chris Strube, a local pilot and retired climatologist, along with two paramedics who were on break at the airfield.

The group helped contact a local animal advocacy organization to care for the cats temporarily. Strube, who lives adjacent to the runway, also lent Adriaanse his truck to continue the trip by road.

Adriaanse said he and his son drove the cats the rest of the way to Victoria, arriving at around 11 p.m.

“In hindsight, I do not think I would attempt a flight of that distance at this time of year again without a wider weather window,” Adriaanse said. “I’m glad the cats arrived safely in Victoria.”

CWOR’s director of communications and marketing Cheryl Brean told Energeticcity.ca the effort reflects the organization’s core mission and community spirit.

“At the heart of this transport is the care and compassion people have for animals,” said Brean.

“From our pilot and volunteers, to our rescue partners and the kind strangers met along the journey, we are incredibly grateful to be a part of such a giving community.”

Brean added that CWOR was founded on the belief that “every animal deserves a second chance,” and that its donors, volunteers and supporters “keep us flying.”

The October mission follows flights in July, in which volunteers delivered a total of 26 cats from Fort St. John to Victoria and Vancouver.