In a tale that seems to echo the paradox of Schrödinger's cat, a Utah feline named Galena found herself on an unexpected journey across the country, tucked away in an Amazon return box. The six-year-old indoor cat, who had a penchant for boxes and a quiet demeanor, ended up traveling over 500 miles from Lehi, Utah, to a warehouse in California.
Carrie Clark, Galena's owner, first noticed her feline companion's absence on April 10. She rallied friends and family to help search for the missing pet, distributing posters and posting on a Facebook group for lost pets. "Galena, our super shy indoor cat escaped today," Clark shared on social media. "She’s a part of our family and has never been gone this long before."
A week later, Clark and her husband received a surprising notification from Galena’s microchip: the cat had been found in Los Angeles. Initially, Clark thought it was a prank. However, the reality was that Galena had been unwittingly shipped across the country in an Amazon return box.
Brandy Hunter, an Amazon employee at a California warehouse and self-proclaimed "crazy cat lady," discovered Galena in the returned package. She took the cat home for the night before bringing her to a local veterinarian. When the vet scanned Galena’s microchip, the Clarks were instantly notified, and the vet confirmed that Galena was in their care.
Despite enduring six days of travel with no food or water, Galena was found to be in relatively good shape, albeit a bit skinnier and mildly dehydrated. The Clarks immediately flew to California for a heartwarming reunion with their beloved pet. "It was an amazing reunion! Galena instantly stopped shaking and relaxed in my arms when I got to hold her again," Clark said, adding that Galena was "completely unharmed."
Clark believes Galena may have slipped into the Amazon box while they were preparing the return delivery. The box, already weighing over 30 pounds, did not raise any suspicion when it seemed a bit heavier. "She doesn’t meow a lot and she loves boxes, so for her, she was really happy in that moment, I’m sure," Clark said. "Although I’m sure that wasn’t the case later on."
Clark expressed her awe at the series of events that led to Galena's safe return, calling it a "total miracle." She also had a word of advice for other pet owners: "Triple check your Amazon boxes!"
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