A woman has been arrested after allegedly leaving her dog tied to a ticket counter at Harry Reid International Airport and attempting to board her flight without him, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD).
Police say officers were called to Terminal 3 around 11:39 p.m. on February 2 after reports of a dog tied to a metal carry-on baggage sizer near the JetBlue ticket counter.
The woman had reportedly been told she could not receive her boarding pass until she completed required online paperwork to travel with the dog as a service animal.
Instead of finalising the documents, police allege she left the animal behind and proceeded toward the departure gate.
Officers located the woman before departure. When questioned, police said she claimed the airline would not allow the dog to fly and suggested the animal had a tracking device — implying it could find its way back to her.
Authorities say she became hostile while being escorted back through security and resisted officers. She was arrested on charges of animal abandonment and resisting arrest.
The dog — described as a two- to three-year-old goldendoodle/mini poodle — was cared for by officers and airport staff before being taken into custody by Animal Protective Services.
After the owner did not return during the mandatory 10-day hold period, local rescue group Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas stepped in.
Now affectionately renamed “Jet Blue,” the dog is safe in foster care and is expected to be placed in a new home soon.
