A man who abandoned his puppy outside of an airport in Pennsylvania after he was told he could not fly with the pet is facing charges, according to police.
The Allegheny County Police Department said that Omar Perez, 42, left his chocolate Labrador outside of Pittsburgh International Airport on Friday ‘when he realized he was unable to fly with it.’
Officers with the department who were working at the airport responded to reports of a sad and confused pup running outside in the departures hub around 5pm.
The officers were able to safely capture the dog with the help of witnesses, and they shared photos of the adorable puppy online.
The Allegheny County Police Department told the Daily Mail that Perez has been charged with second-degree and summary animal cruelty, as well as a summary charge of abandonment of an animal by its owner.
‘Sadly, this is not the first time we’ve had this happen at our airport in recent years, and we’d urge people to have a plan if they want to travel with pets,’ a spokesperson for the department told the Daily Mail.
‘Otherwise, we will investigate and we will file charges.’
Police said that after securing the dog, they managed to track down Perez and question him.
This chocolate Labrador puppy was abandoned by its owner, Omar Perez, at Pittsburgh International Airport when the man realized he was not able to fly with the dog, police said
Officers with the Allegheny County Police Department responded to reports of the abandoned pup running around at about 5pm on Friday. They secured the dog with the help of witnesses
The man initially claimed that he saw an Uber driver abandon the dog at the departure hub, but it was soon determined that Perez was indeed the owner and that he had left the dog behind, the department said.
Police did not detail how or where Perez was found, though it is likely he was caught before he boarded his flight.
Police told the Daily Mail that Perez, who hails from Texas, was released after he was issued his charges.
The department added that the Labrador puppy ‘is doing well and being taken care of’ and that it will be placed in a foster home.
The department gave ‘a special shoutout’ to Patrol Officer Riley Tkatch for conducting the investigation to determine Perez was the dog’s owner and for helping find a safe home for the pup.
According to Pennsylvania law, if Perez is convicted of his second-degree misdemeanor animal cruelty charge, he faces a sentence of up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.
His summary charges are less serious and would carry a potential sentence of 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $300.
In the comments of the Allegheny Police Department’s Facebook post about the lost puppy, hundreds of people thanked the police for their work, offered to adopt the dog and expressed anger at Perez for allegedly abandoning it.
Join the debate
What punishment do you think someone deserves for abandoning a helpless pet at an airport?
The Allegheny County Police Department gave ‘a special shoutout’ to Patrol Officer Riley Tkatch for his role in helping rescue the pup
Police said that the dog is being well taken care of and will be placed into a foster home. A Facebook user posted this photo with an officer and the dog that was taken shortly after it was found
‘I’ll take him! And give me 5 minutes with Omar…’ the top comment on the post said.
‘That’s a good looking dog! I’d cancel my flight if I couldn’t fly with him!’ another user wrote.
‘Think of the kind of life that pup would have had with that loser. So happy the puppy has another chance at a life he deserves,’ said a third.
‘Where can I find the pup for adoption at. Would love some info on him,’ a fourth wrote.
