Airline refuses to let US woman fly with dog, she drowns it in airport toilet

A Louisiana woman was arrested this week after allegedly drowning her dog in the Orlando International Airport bathroom when she was denied permission to bring the animal on an international flight due to improper paperwork.

According to an Associated Press report, the woman, identified as a resident of Kenner, Louisiana, was taken into custody in Lake County on Wednesday and charged with aggravated animal abuse, a third-degree felony. She was later released on a USD 5,000 bond. Online court records did not list an attorney for her.

The incident, which occurred in December, came to light after a janitor discovered the dead 9-year-old miniature schnauzer, named Tywinn, in a trash bag inside a bathroom stall. The janitor recalled seeing the woman earlier in the stall cleaning up water and dog food from the floor.

After briefly leaving for another cleanup duty, the janitor returned about 20 minutes later to find the dog discarded in the trash, along with a companion vest, collar, rabies tag, dog travel bag, and a bone-shaped tag bearing the woman’s name and phone number.

Authorities reviewed airport surveillance footage, which showed the woman conversing for 15 minutes with a Latam Airlines agent while accompanied by the dog. She then entered the restroom near the ticketing area and emerged alone less than 20 minutes later. The woman subsequently exited the terminal, returned shortly after, passed through security, and boarded a flight bound for Bogot, Colombia, investigators said.

According to officials, the woman had been informed she could not bring Tywinn aboard the plane as she lacked the necessary health documentation required for international travel. The US Department of Agriculture mandates that dogs travelling from the US to Colombia must have a veterinarian-issued health certificate and a valid rabies vaccination certificate.

Authorities identified Tywinn through an implanted microchip, and a necropsy confirmed that the dog had been drowned. Investigators also determined that after departing from Orlando, the woman continued her journey to Ecuador. US Customs and Border Protection confirmed to detectives that she had boarded her scheduled flight.

“This act was intentional and resulted in a cruel and unnecessary death of the animal,” stated an arrest affidavit from the Orlando Police Department accessed by CBS News.

The case has drawn widespread outrage from animal welfare advocates. If convicted, the woman could face significant legal penalties under Florida’s animal cruelty laws.