Traveller Allegedly Ditched Goldendoodle At Airport
A woman was apprehended at Harry Reid International Airport in Nevada in the past month after law enforcement alleged that she deserted her 2-year-old goldendoodle at the airport due to her failure to complete service dog paperwork.
“We can’t stress this enough… please do not abandon your dog at the airport — or anywhere else,” The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department stated in a press release on Wednesday.
Video footage of the incident on Feb. 2, shared by the police, depicted the woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, conversing with airport staff at the JetBlue ticket counter with her dog before fastening it to what officials described as a metal carry-on baggage sizer.
The woman was declined a boarding pass after neglecting to finish the necessary online documentation to travel with her pet as a service dog. She then tried to reach the departure gate, but bodycam footage released by the police displayed officers confronting the woman there, informing her that they would accompany her back to her dog and issue a citation for abandoning him at the ticket counter.
“When questioned why she abandoned the dog, she claimed the airline wouldn’t permit her to fly with it and alleged the dog had a tracking device — insinuating it was acceptable to leave the animal behind and it would find its way back to her,” police stated.
The woman “became hostile” while being led back and resisted officers’ efforts to restrain her. Subsequently, she was arrested and charged with animal abandonment and resisting arrest.
The 2-year-old dog was taken into the custody of Animal Protective Services, but its owner never returned. Following a mandatory 10-day holding period, the dog was transferred to Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas, where he was renamed JetBlue.
“While that part of his story is heartbreaking, what has followed has been nothing short of extraordinary,” the animal rescue expressed in an online statement.
“This sweet boy is incredible. Truly incredible. And after everything he’s been through, the thought of him ever experiencing abandonment again has us on very high alert,” the statement continued. “We will be extremely intentional in choosing his forever family. He deserves stability. Security. Commitment. A lifetime promise.”
The rescue’s representative, Danielle Roth, informed People, “Despite experiencing abandonment, JetBlue has shown nothing but love.”
“He is affectionate, gentle, and incredibly social. He greets everyone with trust and warmth, which is honestly remarkable given what he went through,” Roth remarked.
JetBlue has garnered an outpouring of affection and adoption applications, as the rescue affirmed that his story has raised awareness about abandonment laws.
“We will continue to follow through and ensure accountability. Let’s make sure the charges stick. This matters,” the dog rescue proclaimed. “But remember — he isn’t just a headline. He isn’t just a cute face. He is a living, breathing soul who needs his needs met for the rest of his life.”
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