A French woman who allegedly threw her dog from a third-floor balcony at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport has died at Thembisa Hospital on November 25, 2024, officials confirmed.
The tourist had arrived in South Africa on November 6 while traveling from France to Brazil. Security footage showed her walking through the airport atrium before throwing her small black dog over the balcony railing.
“The woman died following reports of her suffering from mental illness,” said Jacques Peacock, spokesperson for the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA). The severely injured dog was later euthanized.
The incident prompted an animal cruelty investigation by South African Police Service. The woman was taken to a medical facility after being unable to board her connecting flight to Brazil.
Airport records show she had purchased a ticket for her pet’s travel. Authorities have not released additional details about the case.
