Amid the chaos of flight delays and cancellations, one dog was seemingly abandoned at the Des Moines airport.
A one-year-old female pup was found tied up outside the Iowa airport on Dec. 29, after her owner was unable to board their flight with her. Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Iowa CEO Tom Colvin tells TODAY.com, the rescue center got a call from airport staff that the dog, who they’ve named Allie, was left behind after her owner “tried to go through the flight process without the proper kennel.”
Colvin says the individual attempted to board their flight with the dog and was turned away. The person later returned without the dog and got on the flight.
While Allie did not have any direct identification when she was found, officials have the person’s name and are investigating the incident.
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Colvin estimates that “it wasn’t very long” that Allie was left tied up outside and was fortunate the weather “was a lot better than it was a few days prior... during the sub zero wind chills.”
In the meantime, Allie was taken to the ARL and will remain with the rescue. At this time, she is not available to be fostered amid the investigation. Colvin says Allie has been in good spirits despite the incident.
“(She’s) very friendly and loved everybody from the airport staff that came out, brought her a blanket, stayed with her, loved her, giving her all the attention until our animal services officers came out and picked her up,” he says. “She’s very sweet.”
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If she is not reclaimed after the investigation, “which it certainly doesn’t look likely,” Colvin says, she will be made available for adoption.
In Iowa, a person who commits animal abandonment is guilty of a misdemeanor, according to Iowa Code 717B.8. The severity of the punishment is dependent on the injuries or harm done to the animal. A person found guilty could pay a fine of at least $105 to $8,540 depending on the type of misdemeanor, with 30 days to 2 years of imprisonment, per Iowa laws.
Colvin says that this is probably the first time he’s dealt with someone abandoning a dog at the airport, “But unfortunately, abandonment does happen a lot and for various reasons.”
“The takeaway on this is that lots of people travel with their pets. And that’s great that they do, it just simply means that they’ve got to prepare,” he says. “They’ve got to look ahead, find out what the requirements are, make sure they have the necessary documents for their pet, rabies certificate, those types of things.”
Vicki Stevens, current director of program management and communications for the companion animals department for the Humane Society of the United States previously told TODAY that the biggest travel problems happen when pet parents don’t have comprehensive information in advance when it comes to air travel.
“If you’re flying, know the particular airline’s regulations because every carrier is different,” she said. “Don’t wait until the last minute and show up with your pet in a carrier expecting to board the airplane.”
Stevens shared a number of tips for air travel with pets, including choosing a nonstop flight and to check your carrier web pages devoted to pet travel, like these from United, Delta, American Airlines, Southwest and Alaska Airlines. She also noted that owners will need to meet vaccination and other medical specifications, along with ventilated pet carrier requirements.
As for Allie’s future, Colvin says she’s “in for a great home. No question about it.”
“We do a high level of adoptions at the Animal Rescue League and with this attention, she is really, really going to get a good (home). She’s gonna have a list of people that want to adopt her,” he says.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY
