The latest ‘cat lost at airport’ story has a happy ending.
A kitten who escaped due to a baggage handling mishap has been found after four days at the airport in Atlanta, GA.
Rudy the Sphynx kitten has been found after escaping his broken crate at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on June 4.
Tamsin Daymen and her family waited in Florida last Thursday for Rudy to arrive on a Delta flight that began in Seattle and made a stop in Atlanta before completing the journey to Tampa, in Florida.
Rudy was going to join his family after they’d made arrangements with a breeder in Canada. While they had not met him yet, the family had seen video, had bonded with him long-distance and already loved him dearly.
Tamsin Dayment told Atlanta TV station Channel 11 WXIA that Rudy was scanned into Delta Airlines at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after arriving on his flight from Seattle at around 7 a.m. on the 4th of June during a layover before the short flight to Tampa.
More than four hours later, Tamsin and her family learned that Rudy never boarded the plane for the Tampa flight. His carrier was crushed and broken when something fell on it (or when it tipped over, depending on reports) and he panicked and ran out into the the cargo loading area in Atlanta. He was then seen running on the tarmac.
The distinctive-looking kitten was wearing a reddish-pink jumper when he disappeared.
Rudy’s family immediately took action, working with Delta Airlines, speaking with the media, starting a Help us find Rudy Facebook page and offering a $2,000 reward for his return. Delta is said to have been very helpful during the search, and the experienced Jack The Cat is Lost in AA Baggage at JFK search team also joined in on the case.
The family was quickly on the scene to oversee search operations. A search conducted Saturday failed to turn up the missing cat, but worry turned to joy late Sunday night when Rudy was successfully found by Delta employees. A vet check determined that other than being a bit deyhdrated, Rudy was in good condition.
Rudy was in his family’s arms this morning. He is described as being remarkably calm and happy despite his ordeal.
The Help us find Rudy page made these announcements and updates today:
“We want to make it known that DELTA WAS AMAZING IN ASSISTING US WITH FINDING OUR BABY!! Every employee at that airport wanted to find Rudy, especially those who worked for Delta!! We want to thank Billy Freeman for being there for us and helping is right along, JB Boynton, Rachael King in security for allowing our search teams and posting of signs, the SVP Of Delta for picking up the entire $2000 reward out of surprise, the super tug and baggage teams overnight!!! All of the ACS team!!! Thanks to all of you and every single person on this Facebook page, RUDY IS HOME!!!!!! We all kept rooting for Rudy and it worked!!!!!!!!”
“He was heard meowing around midnight by some airport employees, a search team then formed and they found Rudy!! Apparently he had traveled from terminal D, all the way to terminal B, approximately a mile, maybe less, from his original point!! Meaning he had crossed 2 runways!! You would never know by his attitude, as he’s cool as a cucumber and soaking in all the love!! Besides a little dirt and very minor, superficial skin tears, he is unscathed!!:) Rudy was checked out by the airport vet and was found to be slightly dehydrated but ok!!!!”
You can watch the Channel 11 WXIA report on the story, made before Rudy was found:
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Posted by Help us find Rudy on Monday, June 8, 2015
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Best day ever!!!:):) our family is in the middle, Jamie Katz on the right and Billy Freeman on the left!!
Posted by Help us find Rudy on Monday, June 8, 2015
