A woman has been charged with animal cruelty after abandoning her dog at a Pennsylvania airport before boarding a flight to a resort in Mexico.
The accuser, Allison Gaiser, 44, allegedly ditched her brown-and-white male French bulldog at Pittsburgh International Airport on August 4 after she was denied boarding by the airline because it did not meet the criteria for an emotional support animal, the Allegheny County Police said on Thursday.
Authorities also said they didn't have the proper kennels needed to put the animal on the plane. After exiting the ticket counter, Geyser was seen on surveillance cameras pushing the dog in its stroller back onto the treadmill next to the glass exit of the airport's short-term parking lot.
She then moved to an area, and about 40 minutes later, at about 5:03 a.m., the dog was found by a county police officer in a stroller, authorities said.
The dog, which was licensed and microchipped for identification, was found unharmed and handed over to an animal shelter. Police say the man has since been taken to a nursing home and is doing well.
brown-and-white male French bulldog
Authorities waited for Mr. Geyser until he returned to the airport around 12:30 p.m. on August 10. The Associated Press reported that she admitted she left her dog behind because the airline wouldn't let him on the plane, but she claimed she made an appointment with her mother to pick him up at the airport.
It is said that Geyser allowed police to review text messages between her and her mother, but authorities apparently did not reach an immediate agreement for Geyser's mother to adopt her dog.
The mother said she first learned of the incident after her ex-husband reported the dog had been abandoned at the airport. Geyser was charged with misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty, summary animal cruelty violations, animal neglect, and animal abandonment by owner. Her first court hearing is scheduled for October 16th.
"As many pets are still looking for their owners, we encourage anyone interested in adopting to contact Animal Friends at 412-847-7000," the police department said on Facebook.
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