In early August, a story was going around the internets about a woman who had allegedly abandoned her dog on an airport parking lot because she had been told by the airline that the dog wouldn’t be allowed on the plane. There’s an update to the story, and – SPOILER – it’s a potentially happy ending for the pup and most likely an unhappy ending for the woman.
On August 4th, the Allegheny County Police Department put up a Facebook post that started with, “Don’t leave your pets behind!”
The agency was notified that morning that a dog had been left unattended in a stroller, near the short-term parking area of Pittsburgh International Airport.
“Officers were able to locate a microchip on the animal but attempts to reach the owner were unsuccessful,” the post continued.
The police also said that the dog’s owner was reportedly told by an airline staff member that her pet had to be put in a crate for the flight because it didn’t meet the criteria for an emotional support animal and didn’t have a proper kennel as required. The owner decided a rather unusual solution: “The investigation revealed the owner then abandoned the dog near short-term parking and proceeded to board a flight,” according to the Allegheny County Police Department’s Facebook post.
Yep…after leaving the ticket counter, the owner was seen on surveillance cameras pushing the dog in the stroller back toward a moving walkway enclosure, next to glass exit doors in the airport’s short-term parking lot. She was later seen heading to an area where a county police officer found the unrestrained dog, collared, licensed and microchipped, with food (but no water), but unattended in the stroller, about 40 minutes later, authorities said.
PC: Allegheny PD
The authorities contacted the state dog warden to turn over the animal, and continued to try to contact the dog’s owner who, according to Allegheny County Police Sgt. Jason Donaldson, “officers were able to identify … and learned the woman was flying to a resort destination.”
CBS affiliate KDKA reported on August 4th that the dog was being cared for by Animal Friends. The Pittsburgh-based shelter released the following statement about the dog:
As this case is under active investigation, we are unfortunately unable to comment at this time about the details of the case or the health status of the dog. Animal Friends’ Humane Society Police Officers are pursuing an investigation into this case and reviewing possible charges. The dog will remain on hold, and Animal Friends is pleased to provide the necessary treatment and supportive care the dog needs until this case is resolved.
Nearly a week later, on August 9th, Animal Friend gave the update that they still couldn’t give any information about the case from their end. But they did share in a news release that they expected the dog to be moved to an experienced foster home for the duration of his stay with them.
“He was very gentle, and he was in good health,” said Sgt. Jason Donaldson with Allegheny County Police.
The aftermath
On August 25th, there was an update. By now the police knew who the woman was: Allison Lyn Gaiser, 44, a resident of East Franklin, PA. She was a nurse and was on her way to a resort in Mexico when the event occurred.
A county police sergeant was waiting for Gaiser when she returned to the airport about 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 10. Police said Gaiser admitted leaving the dog behind when the airline wouldn’t allow it on the plane. But she said she made arrangements with her mother to pick up the animal at the airport.
Gaiser allowed police to review text messages between her and her mother, but authorities said it was apparent that no immediate arrangement had been made for Gaiser’s mother to pick up the dog from the airport. Instead, according to a police criminal complaint dated August 24th, Gaiser told her mother to call the airport and tell them to take the dog to the local pound and she would get him when she returned from vacation. (To her credit, Gaiser’s mother told her daughter she’d be arrested for dog abandonment and that she wasn’t above the law. WTG, Mom!)
Furthermore, Gaiser’s mother told county police that she only found out about the incident the next day, when Gaiser’s ex-husband shared a news story about her “grand-doggie” being left at the airport.
In addition to the misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals, county police charged Gaiser with summary counts of neglect of animals, cruelty to animals and abandonment. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 16th.
As for the French bulldog that’s stolen thousands of hearts, authorities said the dog is now staying in a foster home through Animal Friends, and is doing well. From Facebook on August 24th:
Looks like justice will be served. And a cute lil’ Frenchie will eventually get a new home.
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