What should have been a simple taxi ride for Palash and his cat turned into a nightmare. The driver fled with the feline, causing concern and anger among its owner, who was determined to find his animal.
On September 30, Palash Pandey took his cat Tux to a veterinarian in Austin , Texas ( United States ). To do this, he had called a taxi, because he did not have a vehicle. Unfortunately, everything didn’t go as he expected.
A sudden kidnapping
According to Newsweek reports , the driver dropped Palash off at the foot of the clinic, but he fled before the man could remove his pet’s carrier. Palash said he shouted and ran after the vehicle, even banging on the windows to get the driver’s attention, to no avail.
He then called the driver, who initially ignored his phone calls, then answered him saying he didn’t know where his cat was. Disgusted, Palash decided to share his experience on social networks in the hope of finding his animal.
A master and outraged Internet users
On X (formerly Twitter ), millions of people read his message. This story was even broadcast on television news, which launched appeals to find the missing cat. Palash also contacted the customer service of the taxi company in question, and was shocked by the reaction of one of his interlocutors.
“ Please note that if your cat is indeed returned by our driver, you will be charged a standard $20 return fee for their time and effort ,” she allegedly told him. Outraged, Palash reported Tux missing to the Austin Police Department .
A long-awaited reunion
Ultimately, it was the police who managed to make contact with the driver, named Daniel . However, Tux had fled and was no longer in the driver’s company. She was only found 2 days later, in a real estate office where she had taken refuge. Her cage had disappeared.
Tux did not emerge completely unscathed from this mishap. “ She is eating well, but she seems very tired, she is covered in fleas and she is dehydrated ,” lamented her master on social networks.
Palash thanked all the Internet users who mobilized to find his cat. He hopes that one day the driver who kidnapped Tux will be brought to justice.