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YouTuber investigated by police after ‘accidentally’ posting video of her hitting her dog

She insisted she didn't "abuse" her Doberman

YouTuber Brooke Houts is being investigated by police after she appeared to hit and spit on her dog in a video she uploaded to her channel.

In footage circulating the internet, the 20-year-old internet star is seen hitting the adorable Doberman called Sphinx several times, shouting at him and shoving him to the ground as she tried to film a video for her channel.

After many people voiced their disgust, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Animal Cruelty unit started investigating the footage.

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“LAPD is aware of this incident,” a representative for the police department told BuzzFeed News. “Animal Cruelty is looking into this, and there is an open investigation.”

Brooke issued a lengthy statement to her Twitter on Wednesday, insisting she isn’t an “animal abuser”, which many people branded her after seeing the video.

She had posted “uncut” footage by mistake before re-uploading a final version of her video called “Plastic Wrap Prank on my Doberman”, which didn’t contain the disturbing footage.

The video is no longer on her YouTube channel.

In the statement, she said: “Anything I say isn’t going to make those who believe I’m a bad person stop believing that, and I’m aware of this. I apologise to anyone who has been [affected] negatively by the footage.

“First off, I want to address the uncut footage. On the day in particular that the video was filmed, and actually this past week, things in my outside life have been less than exceptional.

“I am not going to play the ‘victim card’ or anything of that sort, but I do want to point out that I am rarely as upset as what was shown in the footage.

“The bubbly, happy-go-lucky Brooke that you often see in my videos is typically an accurate representation of me, but it’s obvious that I’m playing up my mood in this video when I’m clearly actually frustrated.

“That being said, this does NOT justify me yelling at my dog in the way that I did, and I’m fully aware of that. Should I have gotten as angry as I did in the video? No. Should I have raised my voice and yelled at him? No.”

Brooke insisted she’s not an “animal abuser” (Credit: YouTube)

She continued: “However, when my 75lb Doberman is jumping up in my face with his mouth open, I do, as a dog parent, have to show him that this behaviour is unacceptable.

“But I want to make it known, REGARDLESS of what my dog does, I should not have acted that way towards him.”

Brooke insisted that she’s not a “dog abuser or animal abuser in any way, shape or form” and her dog wasn’t “hurt by any action that I displayed in this video”.

She also said she didn’t spit on her Doberman, but she understands “how it could look like I did”.

She added: “Did I get in his face and take unnecessary actions towards him? Yes I did, and that was not the way I should’ve handled the situation. Did I spit on my dog? No.

“My family and I are in the process of getting him training. The training that I have been looking at for him is VERY expensive, because it’d have to be 1-on-1 with a trainer.

Brooke was seen hitting her dog (Credit: YouTube)

“Ever since he was attacked at the dog park, he isn’t okay with being around other dogs.

“Anyone who knows me personally knows I have an immense love for animals, including my own. I would never do anything to purposefully physically or mentally harm any animal. Again, I should NOT have yelled at him or have been as physically aggressive as I was, and I’m fully aware of that.

“He was not hurt, nor has he ever been purposefully hurt by me. I know I’ll be in many future situations where he’s being physical, but I will not respond this way again.”

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After the video emerged online, animal welfare organisation PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) wrote on Twitter: “DOGS DESERVE RESPECT. IF YOU CAN’T TREAT DOGS WITH KINDNESS AND INSTEAD HIT THEM, DON’T GET ONE.

“@YouTube Please remove Brooke Houts from your platform.”

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Rebecca Carter
Associate Editor (News)