San Diego

Arrest Made in Animal Cruelty Investigation at Escondido Lot Where Cat Carcasses Were Found

The San Diego Humane Society arrested a 26-year-old man Friday in connection with an animal cruelty investigation concerning a compound in Escondido where several cat carcasses were found in May. 

A man who wished to only be identified as the human to his 13-year-old Tabby cat Leonard reported his cat missing to the Escondido Police Department and humane society on May 24.

Leonard was fit with a collar that had a GPS tracking device on it, and agents tracked his whereabouts to a large compound at the tip of Reed Road off Bear Valley Parkway.

When NBC 7 last spoke to the Tabby's human Leonard had not been found, but a spokesperson for the humane society said several cat carcasses and more chained live cats were found on the property during three separate searches.

β€œThey found several cats alive and dead,” Leonard's owner said. β€œI was told zip ties were involved, but they have not found Leonard.”

He believes Leonard was picked up in his neighborhood and driven the more than two-mile distance to the large compound where the other cats were found.

On Friday, a month and a half after the investigation was opened, the humane society arrested 26-year-old Joshua Boyer in unincorporated San Deigo County. He was booked into jail on five felony counts of animal cruelty and is being held on $250,000 bail. His arraignment is scheduled for Monday.

The humane society did not release details related to the charges.

Back in May, Tracey Fishell, who lives near the property, told NBC 7 if the accusations that someone killed the cats are true, then the person responsible should "Get off the planet. You don't belong here."

Fishell said she put a GPS device on her cats when they moved to the area because she was afraid her pets would get lost in an unfamiliar place. Her cats have always come home safely.

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