Overview
- The loose Labrador puppy, reported near the departures curb Friday around 5 p.m., was secured by officers with help from witnesses.
- Investigators identified the owner as Omar Perez, 42, of Texas, and charged him with a second-degree misdemeanor animal cruelty count plus summary charges of cruelty and abandonment.
- Police said Perez first claimed a rideshare driver had ditched the dog, but they determined he left the puppy after learning he could not fly with it.
- The puppy is in foster care and doing well, and county police credited Patrol Officer Riley Tkatch for the investigation and placement.
- Officials urged travelers to arrange proper pet transport, noting previous abandonment cases at Pittsburgh International Airport.