A Utah couple was devastated after their cat, Galena, disappeared earlier this month. Owner Carrie Clark told KSL they posted about Galena on a local Facebook group, hoping somebody would find their missing pet.
"Galena is a huge emotional support to me and has helped me get through many health challenges over the past six years," Clark told the news station. "The anxiety and stress of not knowing what happened to her was excruciating."
A week later, the couple received an alert that Galena's microchip had been scanned by a veterinarian in Los Angeles. The couple contacted the vet and discovered that a worker at an Amazon warehouse found Galena in the box around the day before.
Clark said that Galena had a penchant for hiding in boxes and managed to sneak into an oversized return box they were sending to Amazon.
"I ran to tell my husband that Galena was found, and we broke down upon realizing that she must have jumped into an oversized box that we shipped out the previous Wednesday," Clark said. "The box was a 'try before you buy' and filled with steel-toed work boots."
Galena survived for six days in the box without food or water before she was found by Brandy Hunter. Hunter cared for her overnight before taking her to the vet the next day.
Despite being shipped 700 miles and trapped in a box for nearly a week, Galena was in good health.
"It was an amazing reunion! Galena instantly stopped shaking and relaxed in my arms when I got to hold her again," Clark said. "Despite being skinnier and some mild dehydration, her bloodwork was completely normal and she was completely unharmed!"