News

Actions

Dog that went missing at Salt Lake City Airport found safe

Posted at 2:44 PM, Feb 03, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-03 21:25:01-05

SALT LAKE CITY — An emotional support dog that went missing during a bathroom break at Salt Lake City International Airport Thursday night was found safe Saturday, and JetBlue says they are flying the dog to Florida to be reunited with its owner.

Nancy Volmer, a spokesperson for Salt Lake City International Airport, said airport operations employees found the animal in a parking garage near the International Terminal.

Earlier Saturday the airport got a tip about a sighting of the dog near the portion of the airport under construction, and around 2:30 p.m. employees located the dog in the parking garage.

Volmer said the dog is in good condition and that the owner will be notified by JetBlue.

JetBlue tells Fox 13 News the missing dog was recovered Saturday and “cleared as healthy by a local veterinarian.” JetBlue says a crew member will be escorting the dog to Florida Saturday night to be reunited with the owner.

The dog went missing Thursday night. Phillip’s owner, Lilian Ramos, said she asked an employee to escort her to an area so the dog could relieve itself, but says the employees told her to board the plane while an employee took the dog to a relief area.

“Michael comes back with my Phillip’s collar and leash and hands it to me and says, ‘Here’s the dog’s leash and collar,’ and leaves,” Ramos said of the moment she found out her dog had escaped during that outing.

Ramos lives in Sandy and was traveling to Orlando Thursday for a family function. Click here for her story.

JetBlue provided Fox 13 News this statement Friday:

“While boarding flight 802 from Salt Lake City to Orlando [Thursday] night, a customer at the gate requested assistance in transporting an emotional support dog to a pet relief area. Our crewmember accommodated the special request, bringing the dog to a post-security pet relief area designated by the airport for use by properly badged airport employees. While in the pet relief area, the dog escaped from its collar and leash and onto the airport operations area.”