How a woman tracked down her cat 1,000 miles away after traffickers stole the pedigree pet
HUZHOU, CHINA: A cat owner, whose pet cat was taken from the street by animal traffickers, was able to locate it approximately 1,000 miles away using some skillful detective work. The owner, identified as Zhang from Huzhou in China, was aware that she had only a few days to prevent her pet from being skinned and killed, however, authorities ignored her request for help in locating it.
Fortunately, Zhang had attached an Apple AirTag tracker to the collar of her British shorthair, named Mantou, allowing her to follow the animal as it was driven across China en route to a terrible death, as per Yahoo News. Zhang boarded a plane to save the cat after tracking its movements on her phone app all the way to Guangzhou in south China.
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'It must have been very scared'
She sought assistance on social media along the way, and after a laborious three-hour search, she was welcomed at the airport by animal lovers who drove her to the kidnapper's location. Zhang was astounded to discover Mantou still alive in a cage with the tracker concealed by his thick fur. "When I saw it for the first time, it was full of tears. It had experienced a lot, and it must have been very scared," she said, adding that the animal was "relatively healthy".
"I was very lucky. The volunteers who helped me find the cat said it was a 'miracle' that I could find it," Zhang explained. "In fact, many cats now wear trackers, but they may be removed on the way. Mantou's locator is placed under the neck, which is relatively concealed. It is also a relatively fat cat, so it was lucky not to be discovered."
Some were not as fortunate as Mantou
More stolen cats were found inside the vehicle, all of which appeared to be en route to a slaughterhouse. The skins of the cats are sold as fur pelts, their meat is turned into food, and even their bones can be purchased to be used to manufacture glue. The volunteers saved all of the cats on the truck and will provide them with refuge while they look for their owners. Some cats, however, were not as fortunate because it looked like the truck had already been partially empty before it was discovered.
While crime organizations continue to kidnap dogs and cats in China for use as food, the matter has reignited public concern. Approximately 10 million dogs and 4 million cats are reportedly slaughtered in this manner annually across the country, According to Humane Society International.