An adorable 1-year-old pup whose New Jersey owner allegedly tied her up outside an airport 1,000 miles from home — and then left her there as he flew back to the East Coast -- has been adopted by a family who spotted her the same day she was abandoned, the animal rescue group that took her in announced Thursday.
The dog, whom the group called Allie, was stranded outside Des Moines International Airport in Iowa four days after Christmas, on Dec. 29. Her owner apparently left her in front of the terminal when he was told he couldn’t fly her home without a crate.
It didn't take long for other travelers to report Allie's abandonment to authorities. One of the families who spotted her that day adopted her Wednesday, the Animal Rescue League of Iowa says. The rescue group, which cared for more than 10,000 pets last year, says the new family reached out to say Allie has been settling in quite well.
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As previously reported, Allie's original owner had been returning home via Newark Airport after working in Iowa. He could face a dog abandonment charge in Iowa, though there were no indications of abuse, the rescue group has said.
The Associated Humane Societies shelter near Newark International Airport says they see abandonments too often.
"We get dogs tied up, left at parks and we get them constantly. You get four out, you get 10 more in," Lindsay Papa, the manager of the shelter, said.
Still, staffers expressed outrage that such a sweet and kind puppy, as the Iowa group described Allie, would be left so haphazardly.
"You buying a dog, to give it love, care. Just to drop if off — that would be like dropping my kid off," Associated Humane Societies Newark Supervisor Hakim Green said.
Shelters just like the one in Newark have plenty of dogs ready for adoption. Learn more about adopting pets here.
