NEWARK, N.J. (1010 WINS) — A 24-year-old New Jersey man is facing charges after he allegedly abandoned his 1-year-old dog outside an Iowa airport before boarding a flight home to Newark.
Local police identified him as Charles Bigsen in a criminal complaint obtained by the Des Moines Register.
Bigsen paid for his dog to fly with him on Dec. 29, 2022, but he didn’t know he needed to bring his own crate to the airport in Des Moines, according to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.
"Airline workers told us the dog was unable to board the cross-country flight home with her owner because the owner did not have a kennel," the league said in a statement. "They said the owner left the airport with the dog, but returned alone, and went on to board their flight."
The dog, whom the league is calling Allie, was later found tied up outside the airport, the league added.
According to the police complaint, the dog was tied to a post with a short leash and had "no access to food, water, or shelter."
"During a subsequent conversation ... he advised investigators he provided no provisions for the dog and did not make arrangements for the dog to be retrieved," the complaint added. "Additionally, he said he had no intentions to reclaim the dog."
According to Polk County, Iowa, court records obtained by NJ.com, Bigsen, who has addresses in Newark and Des Moines, is charged with animal abandonment and failure to care for animals, both misdemeanors.
"Allie is incredibly sweet and is now safe in our care and loving attention from our staff team," the league continued, adding that there is still an "active investigation."
A spokeswoman for the Des Moines Police Department was not immediately available to speak to NJ.com on Thursday.
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