Incident at Orlando International Airport leads to felony charges
A 57-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly drowning her dog in an airport restroom after being told she could not bring the pet on board a flight. The incident occurred in December at Orlando International Airport, where authorities responded to reports of a deceased animal found in the women’s restroom before security checkpoints.
Investigation leads to arrest
Authorities identified the suspect as Alison Agatha Lawrence, who was taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with aggravated animal abuse, a third-degree felony. According to The Independent, Lawrence had attempted to board a flight but lacked the necessary documentation to allow her dog on the plane.
After being denied boarding, she allegedly drowned the dog in an airport restroom toilet and discarded its remains in a trash bin before proceeding through security. The discovery was made by airport cleaning staff, who immediately reported the incident to authorities.
Lawrence was arrested nearly three months after the incident, following a warrant issued by police based on collected evidence. She has since posted a $5,000 bond, according to arrest records.
Neighbors believe Lawrence owned a white poodle, though her sister stated she was unaware of the allegations or her sister’s whereabouts, adding that Lawrence did not have a phone.
Outrage from animal rights advocates
Animal rights activists have strongly condemned the act. Bryan Wilson of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida expressed his shock over the incident.
“Obviously, we were shocked when we heard a woman had effectively drowned her companion animal all because she couldn’t get on a plane,” Wilson said. “This is not a bottle of water or an oversized bottle of shampoo.”
Legislative response
The case has also drawn the attention of lawmakers. State Senator Tom Leek, who recently proposed a bill aimed at strengthening animal cruelty laws, cited this incident as an example of why stricter regulations are necessary.
“This is yet another horrible example of why I filed the bill related to animal cruelty, which strengthens criminal penalties for those who do harm to innocent animals,” Leek told his colleagues on the Senate floor.
He further emphasized his commitment to pushing the legislation forward, ensuring its passage through the Florida Senate and House before reaching Governor Ron DeSantis for approval.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, highlighting the need for stronger protections against animal cruelty and reinforcing the importance of responsible pet ownership.
