Power Of Social Media Spreads Word Of Jack The Missing Cat
MIAMI (CBS4)- A South Florida woman is leading the cause to find a cat lost in a New York airport, and her effort to find Jack the cat took off thanks to social media.
Jack the cat has gained a following on facebook and Twitter since he got out of his American Airlines carrier in the baggage area of JFK last Thursday. He has orange hair, amber eyes and more social media savvy than most of us, at least it looks that way on social media networks.
Although jack the cat is nowhere to be found, his story continues to spread all over the worldwide Web, and Mary Beth Melchior is the human face behind the creation of the feline's facebook page.
The cat belongs to her best friend Karen who was moving from New York to California.
Melchior said her friend checked in with American Airlines and handed over her two cats in their carriers during her cross country move on August 25, ahead of Hurricane Irene.
"An hour later she got a call and was told jack had gotten out of his crate and they couldn't find him," Melchior said.
When she heard what happened, Melchior said she turned to social media for help.
She posted messages on a number of animal rescue groups who might be able to help search for Jack. It wasn't long before people saw her posts and started posting about Jack.
Melchior said, "This started to blow up on facebook people started to post to the American Airlines facebook page and then they began posting and posting and posting."
That's when Melchior decided to create her page. The page has more than a thousand fans.
"These are people who don't know us they don't know jack who don't know anyone but they clearly feel the pain Karen is in," she said.
Jack's owner also started a Twitter page – posting from Jack's point of view.
All the posts got American Airlines' attention.
The airline posted apologies and search updates on its facebook page. In a statement, American Airlines expressed its sincere regrets about the incident. The airline said employees have set out food for Jack, put out humane traps and posters around the airport.
Click here to view AA's post.
They've also offered Jack's owner a free flight back to New York so she can search for jack herself.
Take a look at Jack's facebook and Twitter pages by clicking on the link.
