80 animals were on board when the drone hit Jesse Adams' vehicle
The Canadian volunteer died after an FPV strike in Donetsk Oblast on October 25, despite emergency surgery.
By Abena Mensah ·
Jesse Adams, a Canadian volunteer working in Ukraine, died on October 25 following a Russian drone strike in Donetsk Oblast. The Animal Rescue Kharkiv community confirmed his death after he was evacuating animals from the frontline.
Adams was loading a group of animals into his vehicle when a Russian FPV drone struck the car. The impact hit the windshield, inflicting severe injuries on the driver. Medical staff rushed him to a local hospital, where they performed emergency surgery and resuscitation efforts. Doctors were unable to save his life despite these interventions.
Before his death, Adams founded the RainCoast Dog Rescue Society, an organization focused on rescuing and rehoming animals. In Ukraine, he assisted residents in frontline settlements and coordinated the evacuation of pets from combat zones.
A few days before the strike, Adams reported that volunteers had rescued 80 dogs and cats in Kramatorsk in a single day. He wrote that civilians and animals are injured or killed daily by drones, bombs, and missile attacks. He described the animals as innocent victims of the invasion, noting that many had lost their owners or were strays struggling to survive.
Adams explained that some animals were being moved to safer regions to reunite with their families, while others needed new homes. He stated that it was his privilege to help these animals reach a better life or be adopted into new families, despite the difficulty of the work.
Ukrainian volunteers honored his commitment in a tribute. They noted that traveling halfway across the world to work in challenging conditions meant more than words could express. The group stated that hundreds of animals are alive today because of his efforts.
The Animal Rescue Kharkiv community expressed condolences to those who knew him. They described Adams as a kind, compassionate, and extraordinary person. His death follows the July killing of Olha Kuzmenko in Druzhkivka, Donetsk Oblast, when a guided aerial bomb struck the city.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
