A 58-year-old Mission Viejo man was behind bars Thursday on suspicion of hurling an injured cat into a trash bin in Laguna Hills, while officials said the animal was on the mend and would be reunited with her owner.
The feline was apparently tossed into the trash at about 7:20 p.m. Monday in the 25000 block of Cabot Road, according to Mission Viejo Animal Services.
Animal services was notified Tuesday about the cat, named BooBoo.
Authorities recovered surveillance video footage of a man driving behind the businesses, parking near the trash bin and tossing a white garbage bag into it, animal services reported. The cat was found about 15 hours later and just moments before a garbage truck was about to collect trash from the dumpster.
The suspect, identified as Joseph Harrison Parker of Mission Viejo, was arrested Wednesday, according to Sgt. Matt Timmins of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
“Through our social media, the cat owner came forward and identified the man was her roommate seen in the video, and we conducted an investigation and have probable cause that the suspect was in violation of animal cruelty,” Mission Viejo Animal Services Supervisor Kyle Werner said.
The pet’s owner has come forward and BooBoo, who is being treated by a veterinarian, is improving, officials said.