Animal advocates question why animal cruelty charges weren't filed against man seen kicking puppy on camera

Animal advocates upset after no charges filed against man caught on camera kicking a dog

Animal advocates question why the Harris County District Attorney's office declined to file animal cruelty charges against a man seen on camera kicking a puppy.

HOUSTON - Grizzy Hood News brought the disturbing video to light. ThisIsHouston Rescue Group found the abused dog and her sibling.

What they're saying:

"Turns out the dog in the video being kicked wasn't the dog we got initially," said Tom Heller, President of ThisIsHouston. "They didn't quite look the same, so we went out looking and found the other dog."

"It broke my heart the first time I saw it. I actually reached out to ThisIsHouston and told them I would foster for them," said Melissa Bonnette, who is fostering Mirabel who was kicked and as well as Isabel.

"Police reached out to us wanting to prosecute the guy who was kicking the dog in the video," said Tom. "Turns out the DA declined to pursue it."

In a statement, the District Attorney's Office says, "As disturbing as this video is, the evidence presented was not sufficient to meet the very specific standards required by the state's animal cruelty statute.

"It's hard to believe you have video of a guy right in front of you," said Tom. "I don't know what else you would need."

"It wasn't as if he could say she was attacking him," said Tara Hall with ThisIsHouston. "You see him go after her again."

All the attention the video brought saved Mirabel and Isabel. 

What you can do:

If you'd like to offer them a forever home or help in some other way, click here.