Screenshots via We Rate Dogs on Facebook and Instagram.
WeRateDogs, a popular social media account that shares heartwarming dog stories, took an unusual political turn Tuesday with a post bashing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over a story about a pet dog that was fatally shot during a raid on a home in Texas.
Matt Nelson launched the WeRateDogs Twitter account a decade ago when he was in college and has since amassed a huge audience: over 9 million on the original account, 4.9 million on Instagram, 3.4 million on TikTok, 1.5 million on Facebook, over 434K on YouTube, and over 415K on Bluesky.
WeRateDogs typically posts photos and videos of dogs engaged in adorable antics, amusingly rating them higher than 10 out of 10 (because “they’re good dogs, Brent“). Over the years, the account has started selling merchandise and entering into affiliate agreements with companies like Farmer’s Dog brand dog food, which is used to support a number of dog and pet charities.
This is Zebby. He finally managed to catch his tail. Super proud of the accomplishment and would like to pretend no one saw the part right after. 12/10 pic.twitter.com/oFgjIHQV2J
— WeRateDogs (@dog_rates) October 14, 2025
This is Sandy. She landed in a shelter with a dislocated hip and luxating patella, likely from being hit by a car. Thanks to your recent support of our ‘tell your dog i said hi’ merch, @15outof10 was able to cover the entirety of her $7,600 care, including the surgery needed to… pic.twitter.com/SzIL7yf9XE
— WeRateDogs (@dog_rates) October 9, 2025
Tuesday, however, saw WeRateDogs tackle a hot-button political issue, President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, and specifically raids conducted by ICE.
The account shared photos and reporting from a KFOX14 article about an incident in El Paso, Texas back in September, in which U.S. Customs and Border Protection was engaged in “an investigation into alien smuggling at a residence.”
The family at that residence, who asked to remain anonymous, were described in the article as “distraught” after U.S. Border Patrol agents entered their son’s home and shot the family dog.
According to the family, the agents showed up in plainclothes, jeans and t-shirts, and wearing masks, and requested to search the home. The son agreed to allow the search, saying he had nothing to hide, but asked to be able to put Chop, the family’s Rottweiler, in a bathroom before they entered the house, because the dog could be “aggressive” with strangers.
When the agents asked to see the son’s ID, he went to his pickup truck to get it, and an agent entered his home, opened the bathroom door, and shot Chop, the family said.
The family told KFOX14 they were outraged about what had happened:
The family stressed that the agents knew — the son had told them — that Chop was put in the bathroom for their safety and that the agents opened the door, let Chop out and shot him.
The family appeared upset and disgusted by the agent’s actions, saying that they were following orders and trying to be upstanding citizens, only for an agent to kill “a family member.”
Furthermore, the family said none of the Border Patrol agents helped the family, who desperately tried to render aid to the dog, which bled to death on the kitchen floor.
Also, the family claims the agent who shot their dog then hid from them and refused to give his name.
According to KFOX14, the family also said that the agents “told them they were working from an anonymous tip tied to the previous owners of the home, who lived there two years ago.”
CBP issued a statement about the incident:
On Sept. 9 at 7:15 a.m., a U.S. Border Patrol agent was involved in a use of force incident in El Paso, Texas during an investigation into alien smuggling at a residence. The incident involved a canine. The use of force is currently under review by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility in accordance with CBP policies. CBP takes such incidents seriously. We will provide additional information as it becomes available.
WeRateDogs published a post on Facebook with several photos, including blurred images of the family’s home with the dog’s blood on the floor, and a link to the article.
Screenshot via Facebook.
The caption read:
This is Chop. He was shot and killed by masked assailants in plain clothes who go by ICE. They showed up at his door “looking for migrants after receiving a tip.” The son of the family asked if they could wait before entering the home while he put Chop away in the bathroom, as the dog can be aggressive with strangers. According to the family, it is at this point that the son went to his pickup truck to retrieve his ID and a Border Patrol agent entered the home, opened the bathroom door, and shot Chop. None of the agents helped the family, who desperately tried to render aid to Chop, as he bled to death on the kitchen floor. Unsurprisingly, the agent who shot their dog then hid from them and refused to give his name. Even more unsurprising, they did not find any evidence of the migrants they were there to terrorize in the first place.
“Do not open your door for these fucking losers. Rest easy Chop,” the caption concluded, along with a heart emoji and a “14/10” rating. The post ended with a link to the KFOX14 article and contact information for several CPB contacts and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX), who represents the district and previously served as an El Paso County commissioner.
A similar post was shared on the WeRateDog Instagram page.
Screenshot via Instagram.
—