Las Vegas Officer Adopts JetBlue Goldendoodle Abandoned at Airport Counter

Officer Skeeter Black of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officially adopted JetBlue, the approximately 2-year-old goldendoodle abandoned at the JetBlue ticket counter in Terminal 3 at Harry Reid International Airport. Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas confirmed the adoption took place "this past Saturday," and multiple outlets report Black and his family completed an adoption approval process months earlier and were chosen as JetBlue’s forever home.

Airport staff say the dog was left tied to a carry-on baggage sizer after airline employees told the passenger she needed to complete online documentation to travel with the animal as a service dog; when the paperwork was not completed she was denied a boarding pass and, according to LVMPD, left the dog behind and proceeded to the departure gate. LVMPD officers arrived at the scene at approximately 11:39 p.m. on Feb. 2, responding to the JetBlue counter in Paradise, Nev.

The dog’s owner was arrested at the airport after officers say she became hostile and resisted attempts to detain her while being escorted back through the security checkpoint. The Los Angeles Times reports she was arrested on suspicion of animal abandonment and resisting arrest; other reporting describes police charging the owner with misdemeanor animal abuse. Sources differ on exact legal phrasing; LVMPD’s account and local reporting reflect those variations.

Animal Protective Services took custody of the dog and held him under the mandatory 10-day hold to allow the owner to claim him; she did not. After the 10-day period, the dog was transferred to Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas for placement. LVMPD released details and footage in a Feb. 18 news release that generated broad social media attention and follow-up coverage.

Retriever Rescue’s Danielle Roth said the story produced a tidal wave of interest: ABCNews reported Roth received more than 10,000 emails and around 3,000 adoption applications, while WAGM-TV reported more than 10,000 emails and more than 2,700 applications. Roth said, "This is about JetBlue and his new family. This boy deserves to never be abandoned again," and added that "during those 10 days, we reached out to the woman that was charged. She hung up on us." Roth also confirmed JetBlue Airlines donated $6,000 to the rescue and that an unnamed donor doubled that amount.

Officer Black, who was among the responding officers at the airport, said of the new family member, "We're gonna enjoy him. He's going to be very much loved. And yeah, we're just excited." Retriever Rescue reports the publicity has already led to additional placements—ABCNews says a dozen other dogs have been adopted so far—and the JetBlue donation will help cover surgeries and wider rescue efforts across the Las Vegas Valley.

LVMPD summed up the episode in a department statement quoted by the Los Angeles Times: "What began as a heartbreaking act of abandonment has turned into a powerful example of compassion, teamwork, and community partnership," and added, "Jet Blue’s next journey begins this time, surrounded by the people who stepped in when he needed it most.