KEY POINTS:
Not even the promise of a family reunion was enough to get one reluctant passenger to the departure gate at Auckland International Airport last week.
Kyle Clark's two cats were due to fly to Canada last Wednesday night to join him and his family.
Dr Clark said he paid around $2000 to fly his cats to join his family in Canada but the 1-year-old cat escaped from the cage while waiting for his plane and has not been seen in seven days.
"My two cats are part of the family which is why it was worth spending $2000 for them to be flown halfway around the world," Dr Clark said. "This is a devastating tragedy for me."
He said although efforts were being made to find the cat, "no one is taking any responsibility for the fact he has been lost".
He said Air New Zealand needed to review its procedures for transporting animals and he didn't want to have to pay for the flights again.
He would already be liable for another pre-flight veterinary check for the remaining cat. He wanted the airline to refund the lost cat's fare and transport the remaining cat free of charge.
"Questions regarding who will pay for my other cat to be flown over, since she was taken off the scheduled flight, are being dodged," he said. "I could barely afford to send the cats over in the first place and I don't think I should have to pay any more ... I think I should be reimbursed the cost of his flight."
An airline spokeswoman said the pets were delivered to Air New Zealand cargo in cages by the pet transport company Dr Clark enlisted.
The cat managed to escape from the company-supplied cage and while the other cat was still in the cage, it could not travel because the documents no longer matched the contents of the cage.
She said Air New Zealand cargo staff had put up posters around the airport, set cat traps, run checks with the SPCA and carried out regular searches of the tarmac and airport.
"Air New Zealand has been in close dialogue with the pet's owner, Aviation Security and the airport company and our staff will continue to look.
"We hope to be able to reunite them soon in Canada."
Dr Clark asked members of the public visiting or near to the airport to keep an eye out and contact the SPCA if they saw a grey cat with a white spot on his chest. He had no microchip or collar but was neutered and "a bit skittish".
