A wee 11-month-old gargoyle gecko named Nom is missing and feared dead after she was lost sometime during a flight from Toronto to Vancouver.
Nom (full name Nom Chompsky) had been travelling with owner Meryl Bishop earlier this week as she flew out to Vancouver. According to WestJet's pet policies, lizards aren't allowed in the cabin, so little Nom was placed in cargo.
When Bishop arrived in Vancouver, Nom was gone.
"Two hours after disembarking, [I] reached WestJet's Cargo location at Vancouver International. There, I waited over half an hour before being served," she wrote in a Facebook post.
"This is when I was finally told that her box was missing."
Bishop started calling the airline, trying to find Nom. But the frustration only grew from there. Eight hours after the gecko was reported missing, Toronto's airport still hadn't completed a search for her, Bishop wrote. Even 24 hours later, WestJet didn't have any updates.
"At this point, I'm doubting that she will be alive. Reptiles are often shipped using overnight express, in order to avoid high heat, and to prevent them from being cooped up too long," wrote Bishop. "Her wet paper towel to keep her cool, and to give her water, has definitely dried out by now."
WestJet spokesperson Lauren Stewart told BuzzFeed Canada that they're doing everything they can to find Nom, including working with staff in both Vancouver and Toronto. A nationwide alert has also gone out.
"The safety and care of pets, whether they are travelling as cargo or as carry-on, is always a top priority for WestJet and we sincerely apologize to our guest for what has occurred," Stewart said in an email.
She also noted that although WestJet doesn't allow lizards to travel in the cabin, neither does any other Canadian airline.
Bishop's posts about the situation on Facebook and Reddit have encouraged others to put pressure on WestJet. However, it's now been more than 48 hours since Nom went missing and Bishop is even angrier.
"I want WestJet to take this as a lesson," Bishop wrote. "Small animals, such as Nom, should be made exceptions to their ridiculous only birds, rabbits, cats, dogs in the cabin rule. This could have been prevented if she had been allowed."
"Something needs to change so no one else has to go through the heartbreak I've been going through, and no animal should have to end up lost, alone, and dying due to someone else's lack of care."
UPDATE: Nom is alive! She was located Wednesday evening in baggage. "I'm elated. She's not going to be put down for a good little while," wrote Bishop in a Facebook update.
WestJet said they'd be following up with Bishop and they'll be reviewing policies "in an effort to determine what happened and make changes if needed to prevent future, similar occurrences."