Microchipping Saves the Life of a Cat Accidentally Shipped in an Amazon Return Package

A Utah couple accidentally shipped their pet cat in an Amazon return package, leaving it without food or water for six days. Carrie Clark, one of the cat’s owners, noticed the pet was missing on April 10. For nearly a week, Clark and her family and friends searched the couple’s house and neighborhood and plastered missing posters around town hoping to locate the cat. Clark described the anxiety and stress of not knowing what happened to her beloved pet as excruciating.

Then, Clark received a text notifying her that Galena’s microchip had been scanned, and later that day, she received a call from a veterinarian in California. The vet explained to Clark that the cat was found inside an Amazon return package, alongside five pairs of steel-toed work boots. The shortest distance between Utah and California is several hundred miles, making the discovery even more surprising.

Clark immediately shared the good news with her husband, realizing that Galena must have jumped into an oversized box that they shipped out the previous Wednesday. Since people turned to online shopping during the COVID-19 lockdowns, there has been a rise in the number of online returns in 2021. KSL-TV reported that the cat was rescued from the box after six days without food or water by an Amazon employee. The employee found her in the warehouse and took her to the vet.

Clark and her husband then flew to California to reunite with their cat, Galena. Clark described the reunion as amazing, with Galena instantly stopping shaking and relaxing in her arms. Despite being skinnier and mildly dehydrated, the cat’s bloodwork was normal, and she was unharmed. Clark hopes that this story inspires other pet owners to microchip their pets. The American Veterinary Medical Association states that having a microchip significantly increases