Man who dumped roommate’s cat in trash bin charged with animal cruelty

The cat, named BooBoo, was found about 15 hours after it was dumped in the trash bin and just moments before a garbage truck was about to collect trash from the bin. Joseph Harrison Parker was charged with a felony count of cruelty to animals. Photo from the City of Mission Viejo website

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. – A 58-year-old Mission Viejo man was charged Friday with dumping a cat into a trash bin in Laguna Hills.

Joseph Harrison Parker was charged with a felony count of cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor count of abandoning a cat. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in the jail courtroom and was scheduled to return to court March 24 for a pretrial hearing in the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.

Parker’s bail was set at $2,000. A defense attorney requested a release on his own recognizance over the objections of prosecutors.

The injured feline was apparently tossed into the trash 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. BooBoo was found about 15 hours later and just moments before a garbage truck was about to collect trash from the bin.

“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 (laws against) 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.

“We want to extend our sincere gratitude to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for collaborating with us on this arrest and for taking the suspect into custody,” said Animal Services Director Brynn Lavison. (With CNS report)