Vancouver Island is an incredible place to live—but for animals who need rescue, it can also be a barrier.
Many of the puppies and dogs we help come from remote or northern communities where veterinary care, fosters, and rescue capacity are extremely limited. When animals can’t safely stay where they are, getting them to help quickly becomes the difference between life and death.
That’s where Flight Angels come in.
A Flight Angel is a volunteer who is already flying (usually on a direct route) and allows a rescue animal to travel under their ticket. The animal flies in an airline-approved carrier and IBKC coordinates the entire process—booking, paperwork, check-in instructions, and a meet-up on both ends. You don’t foster, you don’t transport in your vehicle, and you’re not responsible for the animal’s care beyond being the “accompanying traveler.”
Flight Angels matter because they:
- Save lives faster by moving animals out of urgent situations without waiting weeks for ground transport.
- Reduce costs dramatically compared to cargo shipping—meaning more donor dollars go to veterinary care, food, and supplies.
- Increase capacity across the rescue network by helping animals reach fosters and adopters where resources exist.
- Make rescue possible in hard-to-reach places where transport is the biggest obstacle.
When you volunteer as a Flight Angel, you’re not “just helping with a ride.” You’re opening a door that an animal can’t open for themselves.
If you’re traveling to Victoria (or know someone who is), you can be the reason an animal gets a second chance.
Want to help? Fill out an application here: https://new.shelterluv.com/form/other/IBKC/128154-flight-angel