Woman charged for drowning dog in airport bathroom after she was denied boarding
Warning: This article includes an account of animal abuse.
A woman who was told she couldn't bring her dog on her flight drowned her miniature schnauzer at a Florida airport bathroom, authorities said.
Alison Lawrence of Kenner Louisiana was arrested on March 19 in Lake County on aggravated animal abuse charges.
"This act was intentional and resulted in a cruel and unnecessary death of the animal," an arrest affidavit from the Orlando Police Department read, as per The Associated Press.
According to police, Lawrence and her miniature schnauzer, Tywinn, were set to go to Colombia on Dec. 16, 2024 but there were some issues with the pooch's paperwork.
Surveillance videos showed Lawrence walking into the bathroom with Tywin and later exiting 20 minutes later without the dog. She then reportedly re-entered the terminal to travel to Colombia.
A janitor saw Lawrence cleaning up water and dog food off the floor before leaving for a cleanup emergency. When the janitor returned, she saw the dog in the trash bin, along with a companion vest, collar, rabies tag, travel bag, and dog tag.
Investigators were able to identify who the dog belonged to through an implanted microchip. A necropsy determined that the mini schnauzer had been drowned.
According to the US Department of Agriculture guidelines, dogs traveling from US to Colombia must have a veterinarian-issued health certificate and rabies vaccination documents.
Lawrence, who was confirmed to have left for Colombia and later Ecuador, was arrested in Lake County, Florida. Reports say she was released on $5,000 (PhP287,000) bail.
In the Philippines, the Animal Welfare Act states that it is unlawful for any person to torture any animal and subject them to cruelty, maltreatment, or neglect.
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To report animal abuse, call the police hotline 911 or your barangay officials. You can also contact the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) for free legal assistance.
