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A woman from Kenner, Louisiana, has been arrested and charged with aggravated animal abuse after allegedly drowning her dog in an airport bathroom at Orlando International Airport. The incident took place in December when she was prevented from bringing the dog on an international flight due to missing paperwork.
A janitor discovered the white miniature schnauzer named Tywinn inside a trash bag in a bathroom stall. Earlier, the same janitor had seen the woman in the stall cleaning up water and dog food from the floor. The janitor left briefly for another cleaning emergency and returned about 20 minutes later, only to find the dog discarded in the trash. Also found in the stall were a companion vest, a collar with a rabies tag, a dog travel bag, and a bone-shaped dog tag with the woman’s name and phone number.
Surveillance footage captured the woman speaking to a Latam Airlines agent for 15 minutes, attempting to take the dog aboard. She was informed that she could not bring the animal because she lacked the required veterinary-issued health certificate and rabies vaccination certificate, both of which are necessary for traveling from the U.S. to Colombia.
After the airline refused her request, she walked into a nearby bathroom with the dog and exited alone less than 20 minutes later. She then briefly left the terminal, returned shortly after, passed through security, and boarded a flight to Bogotá, Colombia. Authorities later confirmed that she continued her journey to Ecuador.
The dog was identified via an implanted microchip, and a necropsy later confirmed that Tywinn had drowned. Orlando police described the act as intentional, stating that it resulted in a cruel and unnecessary death.
On Wednesday, the woman was arrested in Lake County, Florida, and charged with aggravated animal abuse, a third-degree felony. She was later released on a $5,000 bail.
Online court records currently show no attorney listed for her. If convicted, she could face significant legal consequences, as Florida has strict laws against animal cruelty.
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