Condolences, Praise Pour in for Canadian Veteran Killed Rescuing Animals in Ukraine

Colleagues, friends, and animal rescue organizations are mourning Canadian military veteran and animal rescue volunteer Jesse Adams who was reportedly killed in a drone attack while evacuating animals in war-torn eastern Ukraine. Adams, who co-founded RainCoast Dog Rescue Society on Vancouver Island, B.C., died from injuries he sustained after an Oct. 25 drone attack near Kramatorsk, according to Ukraine-based Animal Rescue Kharkiv. The organization said a Russian first-person-view drone struck the windshield of an evacuation vehicle shortly after rescued animals had been loaded aboard. Adams was seriously injured and died in a nearby hospital despite undergoing emergency surgery. “Jesse joined our teams at Animal Rescue Kharkiv, travelling to front-line communities to save animals and help people,” the organization said.