Airline passenger could face charges after abandoning her pet dog in airport's parking lot
It's not wise to leave your things unattended—more so abandoning your fur babies at an airport parking lot.
An airplane passenger could now possibly face charges after she left her pet dog at an airport's parking lot after she was told that she couldn’t bring it with her on her flight.
The incident was shared by Pennsylvania police through a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Aug. 4. It says that they received a report about an unattended French bulldog in a stroller at the short-term parking lot of Pittsburgh International Airport the past week.
“Don’t leave your pets behind! This morning at approximately 5:30 a.m., ACPD officers working at Pittsburgh International Airport were called to assist with a dog that was found unattended in a stroller on airport property,” they began their post.
Don’t leave your pets behind!
— Allegheny County PD (@AlleghenyCoPD) August 4, 2023
This morning at approximately 5:30 a.m., ACPD officers working at Pittsburgh International Airport were called to assist with a dog that was found unattended in a stroller on airport property. pic.twitter.com/eTzN8fdQWN
They added that they attempted to contact its owner via its microchip that day, but they couldn’t reach the owner.
Upon investigation, the police found that the dog’s owner was told by the airline staff that she isn’t allowed to bring her dog with her on the plane unless it's placed in a crate.
“The investigation revealed the owner then abandoned the dog near short-term parking and proceeded to board a flight,” they wrote.
Meanwhile, Police spokesperson James Madalinsky told Insider that the owner said that it was her emotional-support animal, but airline officials “were not convinced” and said that she needed to put her pet in a dog crate.
Currently, the dog is under the care of a local shelter in Pittsburgh. The local authorities also plan to file a case against the owner for animal abandonment, where she could be fined up to $1,000 (or over P50,000).