DES MOINES, Iowa — A New Jersey man is facing criminal charges after animal rescuers said he left his dog outside an airport after being told he could not take her on board a flight with him.
In a news release, the Animal Rescue League of Iowa said its officers were called to a report of a dog tied up outside the Des Moines International Airport. Airline workers told officers that the dog’s owner was told he could not bring the animal on a cross-country flight because he did not have a kennel.
Airline workers said the owner left the airport with the dog before returning alone and boarding his flight. The dog was later found tied up outside the airport, the ARL said.
Police identified the dog’s owner as Charles Bigsen, according to the Des Moines Register. The criminal complaint naming Bigsen said the dog “would have died had it not been for an airport employee who found her. She had been fastened to a post with a short leash with no access to food, water or shelter.”
The witness who found the dog covered her with a blanket and stayed with the animal until the police arrived.
In court documents obtained by WHO, police said that when they contacted Bigsen, he admitted to leaving the dog without food or water, and said he had not made arrangements for her to be picked up. Bigsen also told officers he had no intention to reclaim the dog, WHO reported.
The ARL said it named the 1-year-old dog Allie, and described her as “incredibly sweet” and “loving attention” from the staff.
Bigsen was charged with animal neglect, WHO reported.