Las Vegas police arrested a woman at Harry Reid International Airport on February 2, 2026, and charged her with animal abandonment and resisting arrest after she allegedly left her two-year-old goldendoodle at the JetBlue ticket counter.
According to a statement released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, officers responded to a call just before 11:40 p.m. Regarding a dog left unattended at the airline’s ticketing area. Video footage of the incident, shared by police, shows a woman interacting with airport staff before walking away and securing the dog’s leash to a metal carry-on baggage sizer.
Police determined the woman had been informed she lacked the necessary documentation to travel with the dog as a service animal and was subsequently denied a boarding pass. She proceeded toward her departure gate, where officers located her. During the encounter, an officer informed the woman she would receive a citation. “Well, I was trying to rebook my flight,” the woman responded, according to bodycam footage released by the department. When asked why she left the dog, she claimed the animal had a tracking device, implying it would identify its way back to her.
Authorities reported the woman became “hostile” and resisted attempts to detain her as she was escorted back through security.
The goldendoodle, now nicknamed “Jet Blue,” was initially taken into the custody of Animal Protective Services and then transferred to Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas after a mandatory ten-day hold period, as reported by NBC News and YouTube sources. The owner did not return to claim the dog during that time.
Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas stated they are being “extremely intentional” in selecting a permanent home for Jet Blue, emphasizing the need for “stability, security, commitment, [and] a lifetime promise” for the dog, given his recent experience. The rescue organization described the dog as “incredible” and expressed concern about preventing future abandonment.
