You may have noticed that I like odd animal news stories — especially the ones that involve animals turning up in strange places. You might remember the German shepherd dog on the roof with his toddler, or the cougar visiting a woman in her hot tub?
Well here’s a new one: the exotic cat in the trunk of the stolen car.
A St. Petersburg television station owner had his pricey Mercedes stolen in April. But Mikhail Barakin is less worried about the car and more worried about what was in it: a rare Asian leopard cat that was given to him as a gift. The breed (despite a name that makes it sound kind of big and scary) is about the size of your average house cat. There are only a few thousand Asian leopard cats in existence throughout southeast Asia. However, the cats are not considered threatened or endangered.
A reward has been offered for the return of the cat: seventy thousand euros (approximately ninety thousand dollars). Barakin told reporters that the cat was far more valuable to him than the car. “I don’t need the Mercedes,” he said. He’s willing to not press charges against the three carjackers if they return the Asian leopard cat to him.
Because the breed is so rare, the reward may not be enough to encourage the thieves. Barakin himself estimates the cat’s worth at around 270,000 euros (more than three hundred and fifty thousand dollars). But hopefully they’ll bring the cat back — rather than try to sell it themselves!
Pet kidnapping isn’t a new crime, though it doesn’t make the news quite as often as other crimes. And who knows whether the three car thieves were actually after the car — or if they were after the rare cargo. I hope the leopard cat makes it home safe and sound soon. It sounds like Mr. Barakin can probably afford another car… but the worth of an animal companion goes way beyond cash value in my book.