California Animal Cruelty: Former Vallejo Planning Commissioner Throws Pet Cat During Zoom Meeting, Investigation Underway

In a case of animal cruelty, a former planning commissioner in Vallejo, California, was caught on camera throwing his cat during a public Zoom meeting.

According to local reports, the man, identified as Chris Platzer, picked up his feline and threw it during an online meeting on April 20. During the meeting, the feline was heard meowing in the background. Platzer then picked up the feline saying “I’d like to introduce my cat.” He then threw the cat off-screen. He was also seen consuming liquor and cursing.

Platzer resigned from the commission on April 27. The following day, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office said an animal welfare investigation was underway. No further information was available.

Speaking about the investigation, Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan said, “I support a full investigation. The video of him throwing his cat is extremely difficult to view. His complete demeanor was unprofessional during a public meeting.”

Shamus Thornton, president of the Humane Society of the North Bay, said they were contacted by several people asking them to step in and help the cat.

“We were shocked and saddened by (his) actions. But we don’t have authority to remove the cat. We work with the county’s animal control service, which has the ability to enforce the law,” Thornton said, adding that the organization was “ready to provide a loving home for the cat.” Investigation into the incident was ongoing.

The incident comes a week after a Florida man was charged with animal cruelty after he beheaded his pet cat and displayed the head of a stick in the backyard. Joshua Daniel Pena-Cedillo initially attempted to kill the feline by strangulating it. When it didn’t die, the 22-year-old man suffocated it with a plastic bag. He then beheaded the cat with an axe before taking its severed head and displaying it on a stick in the backyard. When questioned about why he killed the animal, the man told the investigators that he wanted to “show what he was capable of to someone he was living with.” He was taken into custody and charged with animal cruelty.