Overview
- Surveillance video shows a man throwing a puppy through a locked gate at a Mission Viejo animal urgent care facility early Friday, after which the pup wandered and then scratched at the clinic door to be let in.
- Investigators later identified and interviewed the man in the video and confirmed he is the puppy’s owner, though the city has not released his name.
- The puppy, now called Magnolia, is in Mission Viejo Animal Services’ care, is doing well with no major medical issues, and could be available for adoption once she is ready.
- Abandoning a pet is a crime in California that can bring fines or jail, and officials have not yet decided whether to refer this case to the Orange County district attorney.
- The widely shared footage drew public tips that helped locate the suspect, highlighting how community alerts can speed animal welfare investigations.