A cat named Ovie, who was set to be euthanized after traveling internationally on a cruise to Australia, now has a new forever home in Miami.
Ovie, an unsuspecting cat, was found onboard Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas on Nov. 18 after reportedly being smuggled onboard the cruise ship by a guest. Michael Bayley, the CEO of Royal Caribbean International, noted in a Facebook post that the cat was “smuggled” onto the cruise, which made stops in Australia and New Zealand.
“We believe that it was in the guest’s sweatshirt, and we assume he must have been sedated or something,” Bayley added about Ovie on social media.
The cat came to the attention of Royal Caribbean after the feline was spotted by a crew member and “reported to New Zealand authorities per their bio-security protocols,” Royal Caribbean shared in a statement. “Royal Caribbean worked with local authorities and the guest to see if the cat could be legally brought into the country. Unfortunately, due to federal regulations, this was not possible.”
Bayley wrote on Facebook that the cat was ultimately “not allowed off the ship in Australia or New Zealand by authorities and was supposed to be euthanized.” Still, Royal Caribbean worked with authorities “to see what was possible” for Ovie, per the company’s statement. “And after following local quarantine protocols, the cat was flown back to the United States where we were able to find it a forever home.”
