UPDATE (8/8/19, 5:30 PM ET): In response to a video of YouTuber Brooke Houts hitting and yelling at her Doberman pinscher, the Los Angeles Police Department provided the following statement to HollywoodLife: “Our Animal Cruelty Task Force is aware of the incident and looking into the matter.”
UPDATE (8/7/19, 8:38 PM ET): In a statement, PETA EXCLUSIVELY told HollywoodLife that they are upset with Brooke’s actions. “Animals deserve our respect and kindness, not to be slapped, grabbed and spit on. The video of Brooke Houts abusing her dog is disturbing and warrants her removal from the platform, and PETA is urging YouTube to do just that,” their statement read.
Brooke Houts is attempting to defend herself after a shocking video that showed her hitting her dog made its way across the internet. The YouTube star accidentally posted the outtakes video to her YouTube page when meaning to post the actual final video, which was supposed to show a prank involving the dog, and after receiving a large amount of backlash, she quickly took to Twitter to try and set the record straight with a long message.
“I am NOT a dog abuser or animal abuser in any way, shape, or form,” part of Brooke’s long message read. “Anyone who has witnessed or heard true animal abuse will be able to clearly see that. My dog, in no way, shape, or form was hurt by any action that I displayed in this video.” The content creator also went on to explain that her family has been trying to find a trainer for the dog so that he can be more calm but it’s expensive, and she also denied that she actually spit on the pooch even though it appeared that way in the video. She also said that she was trying to teach the pet so he could learn and explained that the he was attacked by another dog so he has become stuck to her “like velcro”. You can read the full apology in the tweet below.
Despite Brooke’s apology and explanation, the Los Angeles (where she lives) Police Department’s animal cruelty unit knows about the video and is investigating the situation, according to TMZ. Followers are also continuing to call her out on Twitter. @brookehouts you are disgusting . You don’t call this abuse? Just cause he wasn’t behaving in your video?@YouTube take her channel down!! #brookehoutsisoverparty #brookehouts,” one wrote. “As the parent to an abuse survivor pup @brookehouts is disgusting. Who couldn’t give anything but love to any animal?” another posted. “Brooke Houts is disgusting. I, as many others have, loved my past pets and always treated them with affection and respect. It is sickening to think someone could treat their best friend (who would kill for you) that way. Bad day? I have bad days, but I don’t take it out on my dog,” a third wrote.
https://twitter.com/brookehouts/status/1158906113741299712?s=20
We’ll be following this story closely and be on the lookout for any more updates about the situation.