The cat who has inspired great concern thanks to a successful social media campaign is still missing nine days after he disappeared from the American Airlines baggage area at JFK airport.
Jack inexplicably got out of or was released from his crate in the short interval between the moment when his petmom Karen Pascoe said her goodbyes and the time he was supposed to have been loaded onto the plane.
American Airlines, which took a few days before giving the missing cat priority attention, says it has surveillance video from the crucial time but has not, so far, either released the footage or explained what, it anything, it may contain that will shed light on the case. They have been otherwise helpful and accommodating in recent days, even bringing in a pet detective and her dog upon request. The dog was taken to the baggage area yesterday, where, it indicated that Jack had quickly left the baggage area and headed for some bushes. The dog did not follow Jack’s progress any further.
Since Jack is now thought to have run outside immediately, the search is now centered on sections of New York City, from the grounds of the airport and the surrounding area, to the East Harlem neighborhood where he made his home before Ms. Pascoe and her pets set out on a job related move to the West coast.
Local rescuers have been alerted and asked for their assistance, and missing cat posters are being placed wherever they may be of some use.
Karen Pascoe’s sister Mary Beth Griffith Melchior, the woman responsible for making Jack’s case so prominent that it cannot be ignored, has now revealed that there is a substantial reward offered for Jack’s return.
Ms. Melchior administers the Jack The Cat is Lost in AA Baggage at JFK Facebook page, and has posted an excellent FAQs note today on many details and aspects of the case.
Otherwise, while flying Karen Pascoe back to New York and helping to bring in the search dog, American Airlines continues its damage control efforts in the face of disapproval by some following the case online. We received a PR update in an email yesterday afternoon sent by a public relations firm on American Airlines’ behalf. That same update appears on the airline’s Facebook page.
