Tito, a cat who went missing on a domestic flight, prompted Bolivian authorities to mobilize and send staff to find him, but also threatened the airline with thousands of dollars in fines. The Technical Director of the Telecommunications and Transportation Regulatory Authority (ATT), Juan Manuel Chavarria, said Tuesday that he will be investigated if BOA, the Bolivian airline, neglects protocols for transporting pets.
– If any kind of non-compliance is proven, a fine of about 72,000 bolivianos (equivalent to R$55,000) may be imposed – said the official. “Tito” and his owner, Andrea Ettore, embarked on December 8 in the city of Tarija (far south) bound for the city of Santa Cruz. The animal was placed in cargo environments, but upon arriving at the destination, she discovered that her beloved pet had gone missing.
The owner launched a social media campaign to find her neutered black and white cat.
The message spread on the networks with a loud plea to find the cat.
“Bolivia wants to know where Tito is,” “Poor cat Tito,” and “What a pity for the owner, he seems to be suffering,” were some of the phrases that circulated next to his picture.
Pictures of the animal were posted on Andrea Iturri’s Facebook page with the message “Help me get back to my mother”.
Even the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, which has jurisdiction over aeronautics in Bolivia, echoed this and noted that its minister Edgar Montaño had ordered all institutions in the sector to “find the cat Tito”.
The government said open cans of tuna were placed around Tarija’s Plaza Oriel Airport, which could attract Tito.
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