The Allegheny County Police Department said the puppy was found near the departures drop-off area of the Pittsburgh Airport
Credit: Allegheny County Police Department
NEED TO KNOW
- A Labrador retriever puppy was found wandering at the Pittsburgh International Airport
- Local police officials allege the pup’s owner abandoned the dog after being unable to fly with the pet
- The pup is now safe in foster care as the owner faces animal cruelty and abandonment charges
A Texas man is facing animal cruelty charges after police say he abandoned a puppy outside of a Pennsylvania airport.
According to a report by local news outlet WDBJ7, the incident unfolded around 5 p.m. on Friday, March 20, at Pittsburgh International Airport, where officers were alerted to a dog running loose near the departures drop-off. With the help of bystanders, officers safely secured the animal, identified as a Labrador retriever puppy.
Credit: Allegheny County Police Department
According to a March 20 Facebook post from the Allegheny County Police Department, county police spoke with the dog's owner, who initially claimed he had seen a rideshare driver else abandon the dog. But authorities later determined that the owner left the puppy behind after realizing he could not fly with the animal.
The dog's owner is facing charges for animal cruelty and animal abandonment, according to the police department's post.
PEOPLE reached out to the Allegheny County Police Department for further details and have yet to receive a response.
The puppy, meanwhile, is now safe and recovering. According to the police department, the dog has been placed in foster care following the incident and is "doing well."
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The case marks another troubling instance of a pet being left behind at the busy airport.
In a 2023 incident, as reported by the Associated Press, a traveler abandoned their brown-and-white male French bulldog at Pittsburgh International Airport after being told the dog could not board a flight without proper paperwork proving it was an emotional support dog.
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