Sadly, while there was much hope in Jack’s case when he was found seven weeks after he was lost by American Airlines in their JFK baggage area, veterinarians were forced to euthanize him due to the severity of his injuries.
Jack’s saga started on August 25, when he and his person were flying cross country for a job relocation. The Department of Transportation did an investigation, and in their report said that Jack’s carrier was placed on top of another, and when it fell, it broke open. After his carrier opened, he escaped and disappeared into the labyrinthine terminal. Within a few days, Karen Pascoe, his person, started a Facebook page to urge American Airlines to put more of an effort into the search, and to discourage people from transporting their pets by cargo.
The airline says it made every possible effort to find Jack. They placed food and water all over the airport, and set humane traps to try and capture him. According to CNN.com, they even “hired a pet detective and issued a pet Amber Alert in hopes of locating the feline,” but to no avail.
It was a miracle that Jack was found alive in the first place. He reappeared seven weeks later in the customs room after the extensive search, but his condition was critical. He was dehydrated and malnourished, and had sustained serious injuries on his back and legs. Due to weakness caused by the lack of food and water during his ordeal, his skin had deteriorated seriously, and the wounds were unable to heal in spite of careful care and antibiotic treatment. Vets gave him only a 50/50 chance of survival from the start.
Jack’s doctors in the case said that in his condition, he simply wasn’t able to recover; that no effective treatment existed that would assure his survival, and anything else they did would leave him suffering further in spite of everyone’s best efforts. His human, Karen Pascoe, was flown out from California to be with Jack once he was found, so she was able to be with him when he was eased to the Rainbow Bridge on November 7.
American Airlines has expressed “profound sympathy” and sadness, as well as their “sincere apologies” for the entire incident. Karen has indicated that she hopes the attention to Jack’s plight will encourage airlines to improve how they transport people’s precious pets when they are traveling by plane.
Rest in Peace, Jack.
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About the author:
I'm a freelance writer and novelist from the very far reaches of Upstate New York. I've had pets all of my life, and can't bear a household that isn't full of furry life. Besides my extremely spoiled pair of cats, I also love writing, reading, tra...
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