Jonathan Monahan is a weekend pilot, and a hero to animals in need.
The Victoria-based pilot recently completed his first flight with Canadian Wings of Rescue, giving 19 cats a chance at a new beginning.
After getting his pilot’s licence 10 years ago, he now flies recreationally out of Victoria International Airport. When an opportunity came up through Canadian Wings of Rescue, he didn’t hesitate to volunteer.
Monahan’s first flight with the organization was arranged after they were contacted by Northern Peace Forgotten Felines and Katie’s Place Animal Shelter about a group of cats facing an “uncertain future” in Northern B.C.
He took to the skies with the 19 cats, the largest feline transport in the organization’s history, travelling from Victoria to Fort St. John, and then to the Lower Mainland.
The mission was personal for Monahan, as it combined a few longtime passions.
Now a CPA, he spent 17 years at sea as a fisheries and marine biologist. His love for aviation began with Air Cadets and early flying lessons when he was a child.
Even earlier in childhood, his love for animals led him to take on his first rescue operation, but this time from the ground.
“When I was about 12 years old, I used to rescue stray cats in rural Nova Scotia and rehome them from a trailer in my parents’ backyard,” he explains.
“This flight brought everything full circle for me. It combined three things I care deeply about: aviation, giving back, and new adventures.”
Wings of Rescue is a registered charity run completely by volunteers. They are dedicated to helping animal rescue groups, shelters and wildlife rehabilitation centres across the country by arranging free, short flights through a network of volunteer pilots, wherever possible.
Mark Bett, head of flight operations for the organization, says the pilots volunteer their time, aircraft and fuel.
"One reason Canadian Wings of Rescue was founded is to help ensure that distance is never a barrier to adoption,” says Bett. “As a 100 per cent volunteer organization, we would love to spread the word about our organization to local communities where we can help rescues and attract more pilots to join our cause."
