Man Who Dumped Puppy Outside Mission Viejo Shelter Gate ID'd, Authorities Say

MISSION VIEJO, CA — Animal services investigators in Mission Viejo said Tuesday they have identified the owner of a puppy seen in surveillance video being tossed through a shelter gate and abandoned in an area known for coyotes.

The incident happened around 3:25 a.m. Friday near the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center, according to investigators.

The man reportedly drove a red four-door vehicle up to the shelter's gate before tossing a puppy through the closed gate and driving away, investigators 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."