Travelling with a pet can often be a stressful experience, but it was a true nightmare for one woman after her beloved pet cat went missing at an airport.
But thankfully, the story has a happy ending after an outpouring of support for the lost cat.
Ginger Thompson is the owner of a year-old Bengal cat named Breezy. The two recently flew out to Denver for a cat competition, but their return flight to Washington led to a very frightening situation.
According to KDVR, Breezy escaped from her carrier, and after running off fell between the airplane door and the jet bridge onto the tarmac at Denver International Airport.
“They were getting me on the plane rushing me, and I set her down to get ready to put her under the seat, put my backpack up into the overhead bin, and was sort of jostled,” Ginger Thompson told KDVR.
“I saw her fall and she sort of tried to claw to stay up, but the momentum just took her down. And it wasn’t a jump or anything, it was more like just falling.”
Ginger, who according to 9 News is a disabled military veteran, was devastated after losing her cat — she loves her pets more than anything.
“Breezy is more the a show kitty,” Ginger wrote on Facebook. “She and my other 2 are what [keep] me going.” She said she didn’t think she could “be more broken hearted” after losing another cat named Wyatt last year, “but I am and it’s worse knowing she out there lost, afraid, alone and … likely hurt.”
Making things even worse was the fact that Breezy went missing far from home, so Ginger had to stay in Denver until she was found. Thankfully, she got some help: a friend set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for her lodging and other expenses, which raised over $1,600.
But even with that financial support, Ginger was terrified that her cat might be lost for good. “I’m going out of my mind worrying,” she wrote. “Trying to be patient but laying here in the hotel waiting is killing me and I’m losing any hope as each hour passes.”
But then, a miracle: Breezy was found safe!
In an update shared to Facebook, Ginger reported that Breezy had been successfully caught by a ramp crew from Southwest Airlines. Officer Tiffany Middleton transported Breezy to her, and she was reunited at last with her beloved cat.
She praised Middleton and the Southwest crew as her “heroes,” and thanked everyone who supported her in her search.
Ginger wrote that Breezy was “rough around the edges,” was a little oily and greasy and needed to see a vet, but she was otherwise safe and sound.
It’s always a scary experience when a cat goes missing, especially when you’re away from home, but we’re so glad Breezy was found safe and sound!
Please share this inspiring news if you love cats!
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