A pet rescue story from Galleywood, England, is drawing attention online after an indoor cat named Olaf somehow survived a 15-mile trip trapped under a car. Fortunately, he made it back to his family alright.
The 4-year-old cat had been gone for four days before the episode came to an end outside the Cats Protection Essex Cat Centre in Galleywood, the BBC reported.
According to deputy manager Abigail Harrison, her colleague noticed the cat after he dropped from Harrison's car as she arrived at work and scooped him up before he could run into traffic.
Harrison said that Olaf probably tucked himself into the bonnet area or wheel arch near her home in Braintree and stayed hidden for the drive.
Despite the dangerous trip, he was dirty and shaken but otherwise unharmed.
The surprise did not end there. After scanning Olaf, staff found a microchip that led them directly to his family. They learned that he lived about 15 miles away near Harrison's home.
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Olaf's owner, Hazel Ohler, said that he is an indoor-only cat and had only occasionally been outside, including in the garden with supervision. She described him as very timid. The family had been searching frantically for him, using posters and social media appeals while fearing the worst.
"Olaf is a scaredy-cat who can be afraid of his own shadow, so this must have been so traumatic for him," Ohler said.
For pet owners, a registered chip can make the difference between a long, painful search and a quick reunion. It can also ease the burden on shelters and rescue workers caring for unidentified animals while trying to locate their owners.
And for drivers, it is another reason to check around a vehicle before setting off, especially if an animal may have taken shelter in a wheel well or engine area.
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