Traveler Accused of Abandoning Dog at Las Vegas Airport

A 26-year-old traveler, Jermilan Bryson, is facing jail time after a judge issued a warrant, alleging she left her 2-year-old Goldendoodle at Harry Reid Airport in Las Vegas. The incident occurred last month when Bryson reportedly did not register her dog as a service animal and was rushing to board a flight.

Bryson’s brother, Gerelle, claimed that the dog was vital for her as a disabled veteran due to injuries from her time in the Army. The family informed Judge Diana Sullivan that Bryson was currently hospitalized out of state. However, no evidence was presented to back up this assertion, leading the judge to issue a warrant that allows any police officer to arrest her.

Witnesses reported that Bryson, in distress, left her dog—later named JetBlue—tied to a metal carry-on sizer after being denied entry. In a moment of defiance, she threatened to call animal control.

As she walked towards the gate, Bryson insisted, “I’m not going to miss the flight.” Yet, she was barred from boarding and became uncooperative when approached by police.

The police officer informed her, “What we’re going to do is take you back to where your dog is and give you a citation because you left your dog at the ticket office,” as captured on body camera footage.

Bryson tried to justify her actions, claiming she was simply trying to change her flight. She even went so far as to suggest it was acceptable to leave a dog behind, which seemed a stretch for the officers involved.

The dog was kept in the Animal Protection Agency’s care for ten days before being adopted by someone from the Las Vegas Retriever Rescue. Authorities noted that Bryson did not attempt to retrieve her pet.

The dog has since been renamed Jet Blue, honoring its unusual rescue journey, and will soon find a new loving home. The founder of the rescue organization, Daniel Ross, shared that when the dog was brought in, it was full of energy, licking faces and wagging its tail, clearly happy to be saved.