A Texas man has been charged after an abandoned dog was found at the Pittsburgh International Airport.
According to Allegheny County Police, around 5 p.m. on Friday, county officers were alerted to the dog, which was running loose near the curb at depatures.
Labrador puppy found at Pittsburgh International Airport
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Allegheny County Police Department/Facebook
With the help of some bystanders, they were able to locate and secure the dog.
The dog, a Labrador puppy, is now in foster care.
As officers began investigating, they spoke with a 42-year-old man, Omar Perez of Texas, and he told them he saw an Uber driver abandon the dog.
However, they later learned that Perez had abandoned the dog when he learned he would not be able to fly with it.
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Perez is now being charged with animal cruelty and animal abandonment.
More dogs abandoned at Pittsburgh airport
This is the second time in recent history that a traveler abandoned a dog at the Pittsburgh International Airport.
In 2023, a woman left her dog in a stroller near the entrance to the short-term parking lot.
While that dog did not have a collar, police were able to use the microchip to identify its owner. They learned the owner was told she could not bring the dog on the flight and would have to have the dog crated. She declined, but still boarded a flight to Mexico.
Originally, she was charged with neglect and animal cruelty, but those charges were withdrawn after a guilty plea.
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Allison Gaiser, the owner of the bulldog, ended up paying a $150 fine.
After the dog was found, it was taken to Animal Friends, where they were “inundated” with requests to adopt the dog.
“We are grateful for the interest and compassion, but for now, we are focused on moving this case forward and ensuring the dog receives the justice he deserves. The outcome of the case will determine his next steps and his final home,” Animal Friends said in a news release at the time.
Just a couple of months later, another dog was found at the airport; this time, the dog was found tied to a pole in the short-term parking garage.
Three juveniles were arrested Sunday in Downtown Pittsburgh after police say a fight broke out among about 40 people during which pepper spray was used, according to Pittsburgh police.
Officers responded to reports of a large gathering of juveniles at Forbes Avenue and Market Square around 5:30 p.m.
A fight broke out among about 40 people outside. During the incident, police said some juveniles began using pepper spray.
When the officers’ verbal commands to disperse were ignored, they deployed pepper spray to disperse the crowd and restore order, police said.
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Police did not say what charges, if any, the three juveniles taken into custody would face. Their ages were not disclosed.
Paramedics set up a decontamination area and treated about 20 people at the scene for exposure to pepper spray, police said.
No one was taken to a hospital, and no officers were hurt, police said.
Eleven of the last 17 games between Pittsburgh and Carolina have been one-goal games.
Egor Chinakhov tallied a goal and an assist against the Jets on Saturday and has a new career high in points (30) this season and is one goal shy of tying his career best (16), set in the 2023-24 season. He just set his career high in assists (14) with his tally on Monday against Colorado.
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In his two games against Carolina with the Penguins this season, Stuart Skinner has made 40 saves, on March 10, and 38 saves, on March 18, which rank first and second respectively for his highest single game save totals this season.
Erik Karlsson ranks third in points (32) against Carolina among active defensemen and trails only John Carlson (45) and Victor Hedman (34). He had five points (2G-3A) in his two most recent games against them on the Penguins last road trip.
Bryan Rust enters Sunday’s game riding a six-game point streak (5G-5A) and has points in 11 of his last 12 games played (7G-9A) dating back to Feb. 28.
