Dallas police have launched an animal cruelty investigation after a graphic video surfaced showing a woman repeatedly striking a dog. The footage has sparked outrage among animal activists and prompted a search for the injured animal.
The dog, believed to be a stray, was last seen Saturday night on Cloverbrook Lane in southern Dallas.
Disturbing video prompts community response
Officers canvassed the neighborhood this week, knocking on doors and interviewing witnesses, including residents who say they saw the attack and recorded it.
A woman, who neighbors say lives at the home, can be seen in the video repeatedly hitting a whimpering dog lying on the ground. The dog appeared to be trying to leave the property.
One next-door neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said her family tried to intervene.
“So when I heard the banging on the head, how the dog—like, I mean in the video you can see and you can feel the anger,” she said. “It gives me anger when I see the video.”
Dog injured, then disappeared
The neighbor said her family briefly cared for the injured dog before it ran off. Despite its injuries, the dog hasn’t been seen since.
Activists join search for “Rocky”
There’s now a $500 reward for anyone who finds the dog, nicknamed “Rocky” by those searching for him. Among them are animal lovers who traveled from outside the city after seeing the video online.
“I saw the first couple of seconds of her and the dog whining and crying, and I turned the video off and got in my car,” said Irene Johnson, who drove from Josephine.
“I was horrified by it,” said Olivia Edwards of Allen. “It shook me up big time inside to see a woman feeding this dog, this puppy, an innocent puppy who is crying and just did not deserve it. So I immediately found out what neighborhood it was in, looked it up on Google Maps and came out here.”
Rescue group calls for arrest
Todd Smith, who runs the local rescue group God Bless the Dogs, has been searching for Rocky for three days. He and others are calling for charges to be filed.
“That the woman that lives in that house should be immediately arrested,” Smith said. “I know the police have a process they have to go through, but I hope it’s quickly. And I hope it’s done.”
Search continues for injured dog
No one answered the door at the home of the woman under investigation. Volunteers plan to post flyers around the neighborhood later today in hopes of locating Rocky.