UPDATE: Jack The Cat, JFK Lost Cat, Stranded At Airport During Irene, American Airlines Launches Search

UPDATE: 9/2/11: The search continues for Jack the Cat, who was lost at JFK airport during the Hurricane Irene travel craze. American Airlines has expanded the scope of its operation to help reunite owner Karen Pascoe with her pet.

AA brought in a pet search-and-rescue specialist who searched the airport with a scent-tracking dog. The airline is also working on having a pet Amber alert issued to broaden the search efforts to include the surrounding community.

Also listed among the efforts:

• Employees continue to walk the area
• Posters have been placed in employee break rooms, on bulletin boards, and throughout AA's JFK facility.
• An alert has been posted electronically, visible to employees from all departments.
• Airside equipment, such as bag carts, is being inspected.
• Video footage from the immediate and surrounding areas has been under review.
• All airlines at JFK have received a flyer with a request for assistance.
• Representatives from the Port Authority, including a Wildlife Management representative, have provided recommendations and humane traps, made patrols and distributed information.
• American has consulted with the Mayor’s Alliance Society for NYC to set up Have-A-Heart humane traps that have been placed throughout the area.
• Daily briefings are occurring to review progress and generate ideas for locating Jack.

The search can be followed on the facebook page dedicated to helping find Jack the Cat.

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Previously, 8/31/11: Karen Pascoe flew on American Airlines from New York to San Jose, California to start a new job on Thursday, putting her two cats in cargo kennels for the cross-country trip.

Except one of the cats, Jack, escaped, and now American Airlines has launched an all-out investigation to find the lost cat, who is, presumably, still roaming the halls of JFK.

The airline was so busy preparing for Hurricane Irene, that its staff lost track of the cat, the Daily News reports.

The cat disappeared from his kennel and is probably still in the airport or its vicinity. Pascoe told the Daily News that she learned of Jack's disappearance about a half hour before her flight was scheduled to take off. She and her other cat, Barry, were put on a later flight.

Pascoe said she couldn't reach anyone at the airline for more than 60 hours. She even created a Facebook page, which has drawn some 6,000 fans who have, in turn, angrily flooded American's Facebook page.

Now American has taken to its Facebook page to keep worried animal lovers abreast of the situation, complete with a bullet-point list of ways in which it's searching for the cat, including:

* Karen (Jack’s owner) has accepted our offer to fly her from California to New York to assist with the search and see first-hand our efforts to locate Jack. We have accommodated Karen’s wish to travel this weekend and will escort her throughout JFK.

* Port Authority confirmed no sightings of Jack have been reported from patrols of the airfield.

* Daily briefings are occurring to review progress and generate any ideas for locating Jack.

* Representatives from the Port Authority of NY, including a Wildlife Management representative, participated in the 8/30 debriefing providing recommendations and offering extended support including extra traps.

* Contacts with search dog and other animal tracking services have been made and are being evaluated.

* Extensive CCTV footage in the immediate and surrounding areas are under review.

Adding: We have adopted some of your ideas into our search plan and thank the community for your ongoing support for Jack during this period. We understand that a cat is a loved family member for so many, including many of our own employees, and we are doing our utmost to find Jack.

Pascoe told the Daily News: "He's a member of my family. I just want my cat. I want whatever it takes to get my cat."

As of Tuesday morning, Jack the cat has yet to be found.

MORE:

Comments

[Dresda]

03:59 PM on 09/10/2011

A bit more information which might be helpful for a follow up. Jack was sited a week ago at the Post Office at the airport. The woman who saw him thought it was strange that a cat was there, but was not aware until yesterday that there was a missing cat, at which time she promptly got a hold of the Jack's group. If American Airlines had been publicizing this as they said, Jack likely would have been found a week ago. But the search is still going on... Also, you might want to check out Jack's FB page, as well as American Airlines page. You will find that Jack's supporters are irate! On the American Airlines page, some "regulars" have said hideous things, made cruel jokes, and bullied anyone posting about Jack. Additionally, and this is very important, AA finally posted an update yesterday, which said they were doing all they could do, but also notified that Jack supporters could only post comments attached to this one specific note and that beginning Monday they would delete any and all posts related to the cat from their board/page. Many feel this is censorship, violates our rights of free speech, as well as our right to protest. After all, it was because of Jack's supporters that AA even did anything to begin with. AA's post: http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/american-airlines/update-on-aas-search-for-jack-the-cat-september-9-142-pm-est/10150283463313175.

[morinmorinvck]

06:17 AM on 09/08/2011

I'd be willing to bet someone he's found a good hiding place like a cafeteria where there's food and water he can get to.He just waits until no one is around and he comes out.I have 2 cats that don't like each other.One loooves attention,the other is shy.The shy one comes out to eat after everyone's in bed asleep,or when we're gone. They're survivors.On the other hand,he may be on his way back to where he thinks is "home".Both cats and dogs have been known to travel thousands of miles to go home.We had one that walked 20 miles back to our house after he was given away.

[Cruel Justice Awaits]

03:08 AM on 09/08/2011

After all this time I am saddened they have not found Jack yet. My deepest sympathy to his owner. Doesnt look good. Still, I will keep a good thought. Hard to do these days....

[Anne Mccormick]

03:00 AM on 09/04/2011

this is why i'm leaving my cat with my next door neighbor when i go on Christmas holiday with family.

[sdshantasi]

01:09 PM on 09/05/2011

Pet owners who leave their animals with caretakers must urge them to be ultra cautious. Pets are lost while in the care of others more often than you would think. The dog or cat may take any possible chance to bolt out of the house because of the unusual circumstances of their owner being gone.

[Leah Perrino]

09:28 AM on 09/07/2011

she wasnt going on holiday - she was moving across country. she had no choice but to fly her cats (or drive over 300 miles).

[mikaerin]

05:48 PM on 09/07/2011

right 3,000 and I would do anyhting but turn it over into the hands of ramp rats at the airport

[Nic the wonder puppy]

06:06 PM on 09/03/2011

As much as I don't like cats, I wish Jack good luck and remember Jack you have 9 lives

[hugatree]

04:34 PM on 09/03/2011

I cannot imagine the heartbreak involved in this little tragedy. I had a small service dog who traveled with me for many years on airplanes. I was always grateful that she was at my feet in the cabin. For years I bred and showed champion Great Danes. Puppies had to be transported by cargo, and I was always a nervous wreck over it. That being said, I have seen and heard of many acts of kindness by airline personnel over the years in transporting show animals. A number of years ago a show dog escaped in, I believe, New York, but was eventually found, although it took quite a few days to track it down. I applaud the airlines for being proactive. A pet is not only a member of a family; its flight is being paid for, so it is a passenger as well.

[Jim chaos]

02:25 PM on 09/03/2011

How do they know he is even at the airport ? Many people will only take an animal in cabin with them for this reason. Particularly cats. However if you absolutely have to fly a pet in cargo .extra precautions need to be taken such as securing the carrier door latches with added devices from something as simple as heavy duct tape to wire or locks.

[ComicClassroom]

02:08 PM on 09/03/2011

I have a strong feeling a disgruntled American Airlines employee had something to do with the disappearance of this cat!! I hope I am wrong and Jack is okay.

[mikaerin]

05:48 PM on 09/07/2011

yep thats what they do Is mistreat the animals with no reguard

[Simondj]

01:12 PM on 09/03/2011

STOP AMBUSHING ME WITH AUTO-STARTING VIDEOS, HUFFPO!!

[floodberg]

02:02 PM on 09/03/2011

If you're using firefox, noscript and adblock addons solve that problem, Simondj.

[otterit]

03:12 PM on 09/27/2011

i'm having the same probs on OSX Lion with Firefox. No issues in Safari or Windows with IE.

[gov111w]

10:25 AM on 09/03/2011

Whenever I fly with animals, dogs, cats, lion or bears etc, I tape over gauze on their hind legs so that they can not run far.

[SeattleHome]

02:00 AM on 09/03/2011

Meeeeeeeeooooooooowwwwwwwwww!

[trobairitz]

11:52 PM on 09/02/2011

Jack, my Siamese says "Enough already!! Your Mom needs you- so come out of hiding. There is tuna waiting." :-) Poor little thing. The chances of being found are not getting better as the days go by....

[newyorkwerewolf]

07:39 PM on 09/02/2011

I hope Jack is found safe and sound and will soon be back in the arms of his loving owner.

[janeinmia]

05:17 PM on 09/02/2011

The airlines lose pets ALL the time, but other people haven't been as successful at getting publicity for it as this woman has.

To prevent this from happening to your furry companion, prevention is the key -- don't ever ship them in baggage!! You have to take them on the plane yourself (with you in the passenger cabin) or you're gonna have to drive. Pets that are shipped get lost, left in the heat, cold, etc, sometimes without water . . . just don't ship 'em.

Airports are full of such lost animals.

[hugatree]

04:38 PM on 09/03/2011

Total exaggeration. I was involved in showing dogs for years. Rarely was an animal even caught up in a situation in which their water supply was somehow disturbed. Airlines have never allowed shipping during very cold or very hot weather. And most people who ship animals know how to make the animal secure and comfortable during air flights. I personally know of thousands of animals shipped safely and securely across country and several hundred across countries and continents (many, many contacts in the dog world).

[SonyaInTx]

08:26 AM on 09/01/2011

Boycott AA until the cat is found.......