Cat lost while on Nanaimo-bound BC Ferries vessel now found

Late last week, a beloved cat named Tango was lost while enroute to Nanaimo’s Duke Point from Tsawwassen aboard a BC Ferries vessel. 

Tango went missing between 5:45 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. on Thursday, August 20th while aboard the Coastal Inspiration sailing. 

The cat’s owners believed that he must have escaped out of their vehicle’s window before disappearing to the lower decks of the vessel. 

BC Ferries said that crew on board searched for Tango alongside his family, but he could not be located, leaving his family devastated.

In order to help the effort, BC Ferries posted to social media on Thursday to ask that other passengers aboard the vessel check their vehicles, trailers, boats and possessions for the lost and possibly scared cat. 

On Saturday, August 22nd, some hope was given to Tango’s family after there were a couple sightings of the cat. 

At around 1 a.m. that morning, someone who had seen BC Ferries’ post reported seeing him walking across the Duke Point lot while waiting for ticketing to open.

Two hours later, at 3 a.m., a ferry employee believed he saw Tango in the long-term parking lot amongst the vehicles there.

The following day, on Sunday, August 23rd, Tango’s owners were permitted to camp out in the long-term parking lot. They put food out and kept their vehicle open in an attempt to lure their cat back to them between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. The attempt was unfortunately unsuccessful.

At around 11:15 a.m., BC Ferries says the owners received a text saying: “We’ve seen Tango. Across from the junkyard by the orange cranes of Port of Nanaimo. On the corner of Jackson and Dalholt roads.”

Upon receiving the message, BC Ferries and Tango’s owners put out a renewed plea for people to keep an eye out for the cat in that area. 

Later on Sunday, at around 6:30 p.m., Tango was triumphantly reunited with his owners near the corner of Jackson and Dalholt Roads. 

“Tango’s owners found him in a fenced enclosure that was locked for the night,” wrote BC Ferries in an update to their social media post. 

“When Tango got close to the fence, his dad grabbed him and pulled him underneath the fence. Finally, he is with his family once again.”

Tango’s big adventure is now finished and has culminated in a happy ending for him and his owners, but it is important to be cautious while transporting a pet on a BC Ferries vessel. 

BC Ferries has a webpage dedicated to information for pet owners travelling with their furry companion that includes rules and etiquette to keep pets and human passengers safe while sailing.