m. on Friday, according to authorities. Officers safely captured the dog with the help of witnesses.
The Labrador puppy is doing well, being taken care of, and will be placed in a foster home, police said. Police tracked down and questioned Perez after securing the dog. Perez initially claimed an Uber driver abandoned the dog, but it was determined he was the owner and had left the dog behind.
Perez, who is from Texas, was released after being issued charges. Omar Perez has been charged with second-degree and summary animal cruelty, and a summary charge of abandonment of an animal by its owner. If convicted of second-degree misdemeanor animal cruelty, Perez faces up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.
Summary charges carry a potential sentence of 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $300. This is not the first time such an incident has happened at the airport in recent years, a police spokesperson said. According to the Allegheny County Police Department, the spokesperson urged people to have a plan if they want to travel with pets, noting that police will investigate and file charges in such cases.