Tom Hutchings, a driver for Tommy's Taxis, had an ordinary day of ferrying passengers around South Wales until he discovered an unexpected stowaway.
After completing several trips, Hutchings arrived home to his fiancée, who noticed something moving behind the taxi's front grille. Upon closer inspection, Hutchings was taken aback to find a hidden passenger, a black and white cat.
"I jumped a mile," Hutchings said. "[It] definitely took me by surprise."
Photo: Tommy Taxi
The cat, later identified as Gizmo, had hopped aboard unnoticed at one of Hutchings' stops, settling within an empty cavity beneath the taxi's hood. Evidently stressed but uninjured, Gizmo refused to leave her hiding spot, prompting Hutchings to grab his tools to rescue her.
Being a responsible taxi driver, Hutchings knew his job wasn't over. He took Gizmo to a local vet, where her microchip revealed her identity. Gizmo had been missing from her home, about 10 miles away, for a week.
Thanks to Hutchings' kind-hearted efforts, Gizmo's journey ended happily, and she was reunited with her owners, free of charge.
"Honestly, it feels great," Hutchings said. "I'm so, so happy she's back at home with her owners, probably eating her weight in treats."
