Officer Who Rescued Dog At Airport Takes Him Into Custody

A 2-year-old goldendoodle allegedly abandoned by his previous owner at a Nevada airport has been adopted by a police officer who responded to the initial call.

“What began as a heartbreaking act of abandonment has turned into a powerful example of compassion, teamwork, and community partnership,” the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department wrote in an update Saturday.

The previous owner of the dog, christened Jet Blue by authorities, was arrested earlier this month on charges of animal abandonment and resisting arrest. She was accused of abandoning the dog at Harry Reid Airport in Paradise after police said she failed to complete online documentation so the dog could travel as a service animal.

Video of the Feb. 2 incident shared by police showed the owner speaking with airport staff at the ticket counter with the dog before leaving him there tied up to what police said was a metal carry-on baggage sizer.

She made her way to the departure gate, where police confronted her.

“I’m going to throw my bags down because I’m exhausted,” the woman can be heard saying in bodycam footage shared by police.

Police said that “when asked why she abandoned the dog, she stated the airline would not allow her to fly with it and claimed the dog had a tracking device — implying it was acceptable to leave the animal behind and it would return to her.”

She then “became hostile” while being escorted back, according to police, and resisted officers’ attempt to restrain her. Jet Blue was taken in by Animal Protective Services, but after a mandatory 10-day hold period, he was transferred to Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas.

“He is affectionate, gentle, and incredibly social. He greets everyone with trust and warmth, which is honestly remarkable given what he went through,” Danielle Roth, a spokesperson for the rescue, told People.

After thousands of applications, Jet Blue found a home with LVMPD Officer Skeeter Black, who helped rescue him. Black and his family had already been searching for a goldendoodle since September, and had been approved by the rescue months before he met Jet Blue.

“Today, Jet Blue’s next journey begins this time, surrounded by the people who stepped in when he needed it most,” police said.