300+ Cats & Dogs Flown To Canada Onboard A Russian Ilyushin 76

Simple Flying

By Linnea Ahlgren

Published Feb 4, 2022

After months of tireless work, hundreds of dogs and cats have been airlifted out of Kabul to be reunited with their owners or adopted.

Photo: Getty Images

It is not only human beings evacuated from Kabul and Afghanistan. Hundreds of cats and dogs left without shelter or accommodation have also been airlifted to new fates halfway across the world.On Tuesday night, after tremendous efforts over the past five months from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), an Ilyushin-76TD aircraft landed in Vancouver, Canada, carrying over 300 four-legged evacuees.

Mission Possible

Partners of the SPCA had reached out to the organization for assistance when the US withdrew from Afghanistan in August. However, volatile situations coupled with logistical challenges did not allow the rescue mission, codenamed 'Mission Possible', to be operated any sooner. In total, 158 dogs and 146 cats were on the plane, courtesy of the Kabul Small Animal Rescue. It made its way from Kabul to YVR via technical stopovers in Turkey and Iceland.

Some disturbed shut-eye in Scotland

However, before the stopover in Iceland, the precious cargo plane caused some ruckus over Glasgow when it passed over Scotland in the middle of the night. Despite flying at over 32,000 feet, the noise of the huge aircraft and its four roaring engines woke unsuspecting Glaswegians from their sleep. Hopefully, they may forgive the abrupt interruption to their rest when learning what the overhead intruder was carrying.

Reunions and rescues

Vancouver International Airport prepared an area of approximately 1,580 square meters to accommodate the hundreds of arrivals. About 66 of the animals would be reunited immediately with their owners who had to flee the Taliban takeover last year.

One stray cat called Tay Tay, previously living at the NATO-led mission Resolute Support Mission headquarters, was reunited with Ash, one of the RSM's garrison security officers who formed a bond with the 'petite but strong' cat.

Tay Tay was part of a squad of ten cats, tasked with jobs such as chasing mice. The Vancouver Sun reports that they were called “Fighting Felines of the RSHQ” and had their left ears clipped to show that they were working cats.

The Ilyushin 76 has a cargo capacity of 40 tonnes. Photo: Schmidy87 via Wikimedia Commons

Another two dozen animals will remain with the SPCA, waiting for their owners to collect them. The rest will be put up for adoption. Do you perhaps know anyone on the right side of the Atlantic or Pacific that would like a new family member? You can declare your interest via the website of SPCA International website.