WOMAN ARRESTED FOR ABANDONING DOG AT AIRPORT AFTER NOT COMPLETING SERVICE DOG PAPERWORK

PEOPLE

 

Woman Arrested for Abandoning Dog at Airport, Tried to Board Plane Without It After Failing to Complete Service Dog Paperwork

By Charna Flam  Published on February 19, 2026 01:04AM EST

 

A dog is now searching for a forever home after his owner abandoned him at a Las Vegas airport on Feb. 2.

 

Around 11: 30 p.m. local time, officers responded to "reports of a dog that had been tied to a metal carry-on baggage sizer and left behind at the JetBlue ticket counter," at Harry Reid International Airport, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said. The LVMPD also included a clip of the incident.

 

JetBlue workers told the woman she had to fill out proper paperwork for the animal to fly with her as a service dog. The documentation was never completed, so the dog's owner was denied a boarding pass, police continued.

 

"She then left the dog behind and proceeded through the airport to the departure gate," according to the LVMPD.

 

Police found the woman at Gate D1 and asked her why she left the dog at the counter. "She stated the airline would not allow her to fly with it and claimed the dog had a tracking device — implying it was acceptable to leave the animal behind and it would return to her," police said.

 

The dog's owner "became hostile" and "resisted officers' attempts to detain her" as police escorted her through a security checkpoint, according to authorities. She was arrested and booked for animal abandonment and resisting arrest.

 

Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas spokesperson Danielle Roth exclusively tells PEOPLE that sharing JetBlue's "powerful" story has become popular because of the "incredible compassion shown by so many."

 

"From the moment airport staff realized what had happened, he was surrounded by kindness," Roth says, thanking the JetBlue ticket counter employees, TSA, LVMPD, Animal Control, and The Animal Foundation.

 

"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 continues. The center is "carefully" considering what is next for him after what he "endured" and looking to place him in a "stable, loving home."

 

JetBlue's story also brings awareness to animal abandonment, Roth says, adding that "there are always resources and rescues willing to step in."

 

"Stories like his remind us how much community matters — and how quickly love can replace heartbreak."

 

PEOPLE reached out to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Harry Reid International Airport police and Animal Protection Services for comment.