The Allegheny County Police Department said the puppy was found near the departures drop-off area of the Pittsburgh Airport
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.
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…