After Being Refused Boarding, Owner Abandons Dog and Boards Alone... Shocking Explanation from US Owner

"I Didn't Want to Miss the Plane... I Cried Too"
Possible Charges of Animal Abandonment and Neglect

In the United States, an incident has sparked outrage after a dog owner abandoned their pet at an airport and left alone when the dog was refused boarding on a plane.

Recently, the British media outlet The Independent reported that on the 29th of last month, a one-year-old puppy was found tied up in front of Des Moines International Airport in Iowa, USA, and was rescued by an animal rescue organization. The organization named the dog "Ally."

It was reported that Ally's original owner was denied boarding because they did not bring a pet carrier for the dog, and subsequently left Ally tied outside the airport and boarded the plane alone. Later, airport staff found Ally left alone and contacted the rescue organization.

Photo by Pixabay.

The organization stated on Facebook, "This week, thousands of people were stranded at airports due to unprecedented flight cancellations, but the airline is not responsible for this adorable dog being abandoned and left with nowhere to go at the airport."

They added, "The one-year-old female puppy we call 'Ally' was found tied up outside the airport. Ally is now safe and receiving loving care and attention from our staff."

The organization posted a related link online so that netizens could donate to help Ally. The video of Ally posted along with the message has been viewed over 18,000 times and received hundreds of comments.

Netizens expressed their feelings in the comments, saying things like "This breaks my heart," "A pet dog is like family," and "I will adopt Ally."

Photo by Pixabay.

In response to the controversy, Ally's owner, Charles Vixsen (24), explained, "I didn't want to miss the flight," and "I thought if I paid on the plane, they would provide a pet carrier." He added, "I didn't want to leave the dog behind. I cried when I left."

Meanwhile, if Charles is arrested, he is likely to face charges of animal abandonment and neglect. According to Iowa state law, animal abandonment is a misdemeanor, and the severity of punishment depends on the extent of harm caused to the animal. Penalties range from fines of $105 (about 130,000 KRW) to $8,540 (about 1,090,000 KRW) or imprisonment from 30 days to 2 years.