- A Utah couple accidentally shipped their cat, Galena, in an Amazon return package.
- The cat was found safe in California after six days without food or water.
- An Amazon worker found that cat in a box alongside five pairs of steel-toed work boots.
A Utah couple accidentally shipped their pet cat in an Amazon return package, trapping it in the box without food or water for six days.
The cat, named Galena, was eventually discovered safe and well in California, Utah's KSL-TV was the first to report.
According to the local news outlet, Carrie Clark, one of the cat's owners, noticed the pet had gone missing on April 10.
For nearly a week, Clark, along with family and friends, searched the couple's house and neighborhood, plastering missing posters around the town in the hope of locating the cat, KSL-TV reported.
"The anxiety and stress of not knowing what happened to her was excruciating," Clark told the local news outlet.
Clark then received a text notifying her that Galena's microchip had been scanned, per KSL-TV, which reported that she received a call from a veterinarian in California later that day.
"I didn't believe her at first and thought it was a prank," Clark told KSL-TV.
The shortest distance between Utah and California is several hundred miles.
According to the news outlet, the vet told Clark the cat was found inside an Amazon return package, alongside five pairs of steel-toed work boots.
"I ran to tell my husband that Galena was found, and we broke down upon realizing that she must have jumped into an oversized box that we shipped out the previous Wednesday," Clark said.
More and more of us are buying and selling things online, and COVID-19 saw an increase in e-commerce, with people increasingly turning to online retail instead of visiting brick-and-mortar stores.
The shift brought a big spike in the number of online returns in 2021, which has continued to rise, according to eMarketer.
KSL-TV reported that the cat was rescued from the box after six days without food or water by an Amazon employee who found her in a warehouse and took her to the vet.
Clark and her husband then flew to California to be reunited with their cat.
"It was an amazing reunion! Galena instantly stopped shaking and relaxed in my arms when I got to hold her again," Clark said. "Despite being skinnier and some mild dehydration, her bloodwork was completely normal and she was completely unharmed!"
Clark said she hopes the story inspires all pet owners to microchip their pets.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, one-third of pets will become lost at some point, but those with microchips are much more likely to be reunited with their owners.
A cat microchip typically costs between $40 and $70.
Clark didn't immediately respond to a BI request for comment.