An unusual and distressing incident unfolded at a Las Vegas airport when a woman reportedly abandoned her dog at a JetBlue ticket counter, leading to her arrest. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers were called to Harry Reid International Airport on February 2, following reports of a dog tied to a metal carry-on baggage sizer and left alone.
The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, faces charges of animal abandonment and resisting arrest. In a video released by the LVMPD, the woman can be seen approaching the ticket counter with her dog. However, she soon departs, leaving the dog tethered to the counter. In the footage, the woman’s face is blurred to maintain her anonymity.
The abandoned dog, a 2-year-old goldendoodle-mini poodle mix affectionately nicknamed “Jet Blue,” has since been taken in by a local rescue group, ensuring the animal’s safety and care.
Authorities informed the woman that she would be cited for the act of leaving her dog behind, underscoring the seriousness of animal abandonment charges. This incident sheds light on the responsibilities of pet owners and the legal implications of neglectful actions.
The 2-year-old goldendoodle mini poodle mix, nicknamed “Jet Blue,” was taken in by a local rescue group after the alleged abandonment. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
Officers told the woman that she would receive a citation for leaving her dog at the counter.
“Well, I was trying to re-book my flight,” the woman told police.
“So you walked out here to re-book your flight?” the officer responded.
“Yeah, that’s what they told me at the counter,” she said.
“To walk out here without your dog?” the officer replied.
According to LVMPD, airline staff told the dog owner she had not completed the required online forms to travel with the animal as a service dog and was denied a boarding pass. The woman then left the dog behind and went through the airport to the departure gate, police said.
Surveillance video shows a woman leaving her dog tied to a baggage sizer at a Las Vegas airport ticket counter, according to police. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
The woman allegedly told police the airline would not allow her to fly with the dog and claimed it had a tracking device, “implying it was acceptable to leave the animal behind and it would return to her.”
Police said the woman became “hostile” and “resisted officers’ attempts to detain her” as they escorted her back through the security checkpoint.
“We can’t believe we have to say this… but please don’t abandon your dog at the airport — or anywhere else,” the LVMPD said in a social media post.
After a mandatory 10-day hold period passed without the owner returning, the nonprofit Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas took custody of the 2-year-old goldendoodle mini poodle mix nicknamed “Jet Blue.” The rescue will place him in a new home.
A dog abandoned at a Las Vegas airport, later nicknamed “Jet Blue,” was rescued and is now being placed for adoption after a mandatory hold period. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
The group shared in a Facebook post this week that “Jet Blue” has received numerous applications and inquiries from potential owners.
“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 nonprofit wrote. “We will be extremely intentional in choosing his forever family. He deserves stability. Security. Commitment. A lifetime promise.”
