YouTuber Brooke Houts Investigated for Animal Abuse After Accidentally Uploading Footage Slapping Her Dog

Brooke Houts
YouTube

Brooke Houts has since taken to Twitter to share her side of the story.

Brooke Houts is dealing with the fallout after accidentally uploading raw footage of a video she was making with her dog, in which she's seen slapping and shoving the animal.

In the footage the popular YouTube star uploaded on Tuesday, she tells her viewers that she's trying to prank her dog -- a Doberman named Sphinx -- by putting plastic wrap on a door. However, when the dog jumps excitedly on her while she's standing up, she slaps him on the head before diving down to grab him. Later, she's seen shoving him on the floor and yelling "Stop!," before appearing to spit on him. More footage shows her shoving him and yelling, "Lay down!"

Houts later took the video down and replaced it with the edited version, though some viewers had already captured the footage. She has since taken down the edited video as well.

LAPD's Animal Cruelty unit is aware of the video and is investigating, ET has learned. A spokesperson for LAPD tells ET: "We received several direct messages related to a YouTube video which people believe shows animal abuse. LAPD Animal Cruelty Task Force has received numerous complaints related to the same video and are looking into the matter."

On Tuesday, Houts took to Twitter and shared a lengthy response to the backlash she's been receiving.

"I am NOT a dog abuser or animal abuser in any way, shape, or form," she writes in part. "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."

She also claims that despite appearances, she did not spit on her dog. As for those who ask why she hasn't given her dog training, she says that the training she wants to get for Sphinx is "VERY expensive" since it would have to be 1-on-1 with a trainer.

"Anyone who knows me personally knows I have an immense love for animals, including my own," she continues. "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."

Houts has over 338,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel. Sphinx has been featured in her videos multiple times -- late last month, she uploaded a video titled, "mine & my doberman puppy's favorite things to do together!"

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