Florida woman accused of drowning dog in airport toilet after it couldn’t board plane

ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA) — A woman has been charged after a dog was found dead in a restroom at Orlando International Airport, according to local reports.

Alison Lawrence, the dog’s owner, was arrested Tuesday on animal cruelty charges, according to outlets including WESH and WFTV.

The Orlando Police Department said officers were dispatched to Orlando International on Dec. 16, 2024, after receiving reports from airport staff who had found the dog in a women’s restroom.

A spokesperson from the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) told WESH that Lawrence is believed to have drowned her dog in a toilet before going through security checkpoints.

Officials said she was trying to board a flight but didn’t have the proper paperwork to allow the dog on the plane, and couldn’t take her pet with her.An airport employee also told police she had seen a woman cleaning up water and dog food in one of the stalls, WESH reported. The woman was later identified as Lawrence.

The dead dog later found in the restroom’s trash was wearing tags displaying Lawrence’s name and contact information, according to police.Lawrence is charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony. Police said she has since posted a $5,000 bond.