Boarding denial triggers abandonment and arrest on Feb. 2 woman attempted to board a JetBlue flight at Harry Reid International Airport on Feb. 2, but staff refused her because required service‑animal paperwork was missing. She left her 2‑year‑old golden doodle/mini poodle tied to a metal baggage sizer and walked through security, after which LVMPD officers located her at the departure gate. She resisted detention, was booked on animal‑abandonment and resisting‑arrest charges, and her current custody status remains unclear [3][4][5].

Dog placed in protective custody and foster care after mandatory hold Airport employees and LVMPD kept the dog safe until Clark County Animal Protective Services assumed custody and placed the animal in a 10‑day hold as required by law. When the owner failed to reclaim the pet, Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas transferred the dog to foster care and nicknamed it “Jet Blue.” The rescue group later handed the dog to the adopting officer [3][4][5].

Officer Skeeter Black adopts the rescued pup LVMPD officer Skeeter Black, who responded to the scene, took the dog home and formally adopted it, fulfilling his family’s goal of adopting a golden doodle that had been ongoing since September. The department posted “overwhelming” community support on social media and shared adoption photos of the dog with Black’s family on Twitter. Black’s adoption highlights a positive outcome from the incident and has drawn local attention [1][2].

Case underscores strict service‑animal documentation rules The incident illustrates how airlines and airports enforce service‑animal documentation, with denial of boarding leading to legal consequences for owners who cannot provide proper paperwork. LVMPD used the episode in a public warning on Facebook to discourage pet abandonment. The episode has been cited as an example of policy enforcement and community response [3][4][5].