Animal services investigators in Mission Viejo sought the public’s help Monday in identifying a man caught on surveillance video tossing a puppy through a shelter gate and abandoning it in an area known for coyotes.
The incident occurred around 3:25 a.m. Friday near the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center, according to investigators.
The man arrived in a red four-door vehicle, exited and tossed the puppy through a closed gate before driving away, animal services officials said.
About an hour later, staff at a nearby animal urgent care facility discovered the puppy at their front entrance and brought it inside for evaluation, officials said. The Animal Services Center was notified and an officer responded.
Investigators believe the frightened puppy made its way from the shelter area to the veterinary facility on its own.
The puppy is now in the care of Mission Viejo Animal Services, where it is receiving medical attention and is doing well, officials said.
“This is a deeply troubling and unacceptable act,” Mission Viejo Animal Services Director Brynn Lavison said in a statement. “There are safe, humane, and legal options for individuals who are unable to care for an animal. Abandoning a defenseless puppy in this manner not only endangers the animal but is also a violation of the law.”
Animal services officials released surveillance video of the incident at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOLuylWfrow.
Anyone with information about the case or the suspect’s identity was urged to contact Mission Viejo Animal Services at 949-470-3045 or animalservices@cityofmissionviejo.org.