Precious the Cat Discovered Alive Inside a Box from China to Canada

A cat nicknamed "Precious Cargo" was discovered by Canadian border agents alive inside a box, and was thought to have traveled either from a direct or indirect flight from China to Canada, according to reports. The bizarre incident occurred at a Canadian mail center when the agents peaked inside the parcel only to find a pair of eyes staring back at them.

Amid incidents of animal smuggling worldwide, it is unclear whether the case of Precious the cat was intentional or accidental.

However, cats have a track record of being sneaky both at homes and in public. Last year in the United States, an orange cat was found by airport screeners chilling inside a checked-in luggage at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City.

Parcel Box Cat

The parcel box cat was nicknamed by the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) after being contacted by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) at the Vancouver International Mail Center in the city of Richmond in British Columbia, Canada.

CBSA officers noticed the parcel was damaged and had a hole on its side. One of the officers looked into the box and saw a pair of eyes which blinked back, according to CBSA Chief of Operations Binder Kooner, as cited by Newsweek.

Kooner said their organization contacted the BC SPCA and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The BC SPCA sent an animal control officer to transport the feline to an emergency vet clinic.

Also Read: Scales of 15,000 Dead Pangolins Seized After Failed Smuggling in Nigeria

Road to Recovery

The CBSA official adds Precious Cargo looked healthy but was scared during the ordeal. In terms of overall health, the cat is now on the road to recovery.

In a statement, Krista Shaw, the manager of BC SPCA's Richmond community animal center, said Precious was very fearful when she first arrived at the clinic, as cited by Newsweek. Precious started feeling better after receiving getting treatments and the care she needed.

Mysterious Origin

As mentioned earlier, the exact flight details of the origin of Precious remains unclear. Due to this uncertainty, the CFIA requested that the cat be vaccinated against rabies to make sure Canadian import requirement is met in case the animal travelled from China, Canada's Global News reported.

Shaw stated there is no clear indication as to how long the cat spent in transit, so local authorities kept her at the emergency vet clinic for a week to recover, wherein she was also given fluids and tested for any potential foreign parasites and diseases.

Canada Animal Entry Requirements

Canada is one of the many countries that has strict animal entry requirements for both pets and exotic wildlife coming internationally. The entry of these animals is possible if the passenger meets the necessary documents and authorization from concerned government agencies.

According to the Government of Canada, all import requirements must be completed before an animal is imported into the country. Should the passenger failed to meet the requirements, the CFIA will make a follow up and order the animal to be removed from Canada.