The other day, Ally Romaine was unpacking an olive tree she’d ordered from Amazon, excited to add a touch of greenery to her New York apartment. Carefully peeling away the final layer of bubble wrap, she admired the tree — only to realize she wasn’t alone.
To her surprise, a pair of tiny eyes were staring back at her.
At first, Romaine wasn’t sure what to make of it. But after a closer look, she discovered an unexpected stowaway: a small frog, clinging to the tree’s branches. Somehow, the tiny traveler had hitched a ride on an Amazon truck all the way from Florida to New York.
For a moment, Romaine and the frog simply stared at one another, both seemingly in disbelief.
Once the initial shock wore off, Romaine sprang into action. An animal lover at heart, she gathered some leaf cuttings and created a makeshift habitat for her new companion. Through some online research, she identified the frog as a Cuban tree frog — a species considered invasive in Florida.
Romaine reached out to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to confirm her findings. They verified the frog’s species and informed her of a difficult truth: because Cuban tree frogs are invasive, she was allowed to dispose of the frog.
For Romaine, that suggestion wasn’t even on the table.
“There was never a moment where it was like, the frog is … going anywhere else,” she told The Dodo. “All my animals have come to me … I have not gone out to find an animal. They’ve all come to my doorstep, quite literally.”
Although she’d never cared for a frog before, Romaine decided to welcome the little amphibian into her family. Her boyfriend, she joked, didn’t have much say in the matter.
“He knows it’s either him or the frog,” she laughed.
Fittingly, she named the frog Olive Bezos, a nod to the olive tree and her Amazon journey. Romaine wasted no time setting up a proper enclosure for Olive, complete with cozy hiding spots and a steady supply of crickets.
Adjusting to her new environment took a little time, but after a few weeks, Olive began to come out of her shell.
“She would hide a lot for the first week or so,” Romaine said. “And then after that first week, she’s been awesome.”
Now, a month and a half later, Olive is thriving.
In many cultures, frogs are considered symbols of good luck, and Romaine believes Olive’s arrival is no coincidence.
“I joke that she’s been my lucky streak,” Romaine said.
Of course, the good fortune works both ways. Olive is lucky to have found a home with someone as compassionate and resourceful as Romaine. Not only was her life spared, but she’s now thriving in an environment where she’s loved and cared for.
What began as a simple Amazon delivery turned into a serendipitous rescue, and Romaine wouldn’t have it any other way.
“She’s part of the family now,” Romaine said with a smile.