A woman is facing a felony charge after allegedly drowning her dog inside a bathroom at Orlando International Airport when she was denied boarding on an international flight due to improper paperwork.
According to an arrest affidavit from the Orlando Police Department, 57-year-old Alison Agatha Lawrence, of Clermont, Florida, was arrested Tuesday and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The disturbing incident occurred on December 16, 2024, after Lawrence attempted to fly with her 9-year-old white miniature schnauzer, named Tywinn, but was told she couldn’t bring the dog aboard due to missing documentation. U.S. regulations require travelers flying to Colombia with pets to present a veterinarian-issued health certificate and rabies vaccination records.
After speaking with a Latam Airlines agent for about 15 minutes, surveillance footage captured Lawrence entering a nearby airport bathroom with the dog. Less than 20 minutes later, she exited the bathroom alone and was later seen at her gate, where she boarded her flight to Bogotá, Colombia.
A janitor discovered Tywinn’s body in a trash bag inside a handicapped bathroom stall, along with a companion vest, collar, rabies tag, travel bag, and a bone-shaped name tag with Lawrence’s information.
The employee recalled seeing Lawrence earlier in the same stall on her knees, cleaning up water and spilled dog food. When the janitor returned about 20 minutes later, the dog was gone—and its body had been discarded.
A necropsy later confirmed that Tywinn had died from drowning. Investigators say Lawrence had multiple options available, including surrendering the dog to a shelter or re-homing it, but instead chose an act that authorities described as “cruel and unnecessary.”
The case has sparked outrage and calls for stricter penalties for animal cruelty. In response to similar incidents, Florida State Sen. Tom Leek has filed Senate Bill 502, which would strengthen legal consequences in cases involving the abuse or death of animals.
As of now, Lawrence has been released on $5,000 bond. Online court records do not list an attorney on her behalf.
