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Jesse Joe · 12-14-2007, 08:58 AM

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Trucker the cat survived a threeday journey to Nfld. inside a truck.

'Trucker' the cat survives Incredible Journey

Feline stow-away survives three-day truck journey from Moncton to Gander

TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF Published Friday December 14th, 2007

GANDER, NFLD-LBDR - The incredible journey of a little black cat from Moncton isn't quite over yet -- he's still looking for his owner.
Bonnie Harris, manager of the SPCA here, said she got a call on Tuesday night from a truck driver who was delivering a shipment of goods from Co-op Atlantic in Moncton to the company's warehouse in Gander.
"When he opened his doors there was this little cat waiting for him," says Harris.
"He hadn't opened his doors the entire journey so the little fellow was without food or water the entire time and he was pretty cold too, I imagine."
Imagine it indeed.
'Trucker,' as he has been named at least temporarily by the SPCA staff, left Moncton on a frosty Sunday morning, crossed the barren wastes of the Tantramar and windy Cobequid Pass, then up Mount Tom, from whose lofty peak he descended into Antigonish County and up again into the rugged Cape Breton highlands.
Crossing the Canso Strait, Trucker then made his way to North Sydney, trundled his way to the ferry and, jostling amongst the noisy, exhaust-belching trucks that were his fellow travellers, braved the heavy seas of the North Atlantic Ocean to the forbidding, rocky coast of Port-Aux Basques.
Thence, another grueling eight hours to frozen Gander and finally, shelter.
"They fed him at the warehouse first thing," says Harris, "but he was still quite dehydrated when we got him and he has a bit of a runny eye -- probably a touch of cold in there -- but other than that he is in good spirits."
Harris figures the slenderly built unneutered male is anywhere from eight months to a year and a half old and it might well be that he was a stray before he took his big chance aboard the Co-op Express.
"He's not emaciated but his hip-bones are sticking out and you can feel his ribs, so I have a strong feeling he's been on his own for more than three days."
However Harris also has a strong feeling that Trucker might indeed be lost, because it appears he has had an owner at one time.
The Times & Transcript was alerted to the story by columnist Brian Poirier of Hump Day fame, who posted Trucker on his blog.
No responses to the blog had been registered by a claimant late yesterday.
Even so, Trucker is completely enamoured of humans, says Harris, a sure-fire sign he has been around them a lot at some time in his short life.
"He's extremely friendly," she says. "Once you've got him in your arms there's no getting him out."
If you think you know Trucker by some other name, you can contact the Gander SPCA at (709) 651-3002 or email ganderspca@hotmail.com.
Harris notes that if he isn't claimed in 10 to 14 days he'll be put up for adoption and Monctonian cat-lovers are free to apply.

12-14-2007, 08:58 AM	#1
Jesse Joe Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 6,862	Trucker The Cat. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED Trucker the cat survived a threeday journey to Nfld. inside a truck. 'Trucker' the cat survives Incredible Journey Feline stow-away survives three-day truck journey from Moncton to Gander TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF Published Friday December 14th, 2007 GANDER, NFLD-LBDR - The incredible journey of a little black cat from Moncton isn't quite over yet -- he's still looking for his owner. Bonnie Harris, manager of the SPCA here, said she got a call on Tuesday night from a truck driver who was delivering a shipment of goods from Co-op Atlantic in Moncton to the company's warehouse in Gander. "When he opened his doors there was this little cat waiting for him," says Harris. "He hadn't opened his doors the entire journey so the little fellow was without food or water the entire time and he was pretty cold too, I imagine." Imagine it indeed. 'Trucker,' as he has been named at least temporarily by the SPCA staff, left Moncton on a frosty Sunday morning, crossed the barren wastes of the Tantramar and windy Cobequid Pass, then up Mount Tom, from whose lofty peak he descended into Antigonish County and up again into the rugged Cape Breton highlands. Crossing the Canso Strait, Trucker then made his way to North Sydney, trundled his way to the ferry and, jostling amongst the noisy, exhaust-belching trucks that were his fellow travellers, braved the heavy seas of the North Atlantic Ocean to the forbidding, rocky coast of Port-Aux Basques. Thence, another grueling eight hours to frozen Gander and finally, shelter. "They fed him at the warehouse first thing," says Harris, "but he was still quite dehydrated when we got him and he has a bit of a runny eye -- probably a touch of cold in there -- but other than that he is in good spirits." Harris figures the slenderly built unneutered male is anywhere from eight months to a year and a half old and it might well be that he was a stray before he took his big chance aboard the Co-op Express. "He's not emaciated but his hip-bones are sticking out and you can feel his ribs, so I have a strong feeling he's been on his own for more than three days." However Harris also has a strong feeling that Trucker might indeed be lost, because it appears he has had an owner at one time. The Times & Transcript was alerted to the story by columnist Brian Poirier of Hump Day fame, who posted Trucker on his blog. No responses to the blog had been registered by a claimant late yesterday. Even so, Trucker is completely enamoured of humans, says Harris, a sure-fire sign he has been around them a lot at some time in his short life. "He's extremely friendly," she says. "Once you've got him in your arms there's no getting him out." If you think you know Trucker by some other name, you can contact the Gander SPCA at (709) 651-3002 or email ganderspca@hotmail.com. Harris notes that if he isn't claimed in 10 to 14 days he'll be put up for adoption and Monctonian cat-lovers are free to apply.