Man attacks puppy at northeast Houston phone store before selling it for $20

Surveillance cameras at a northeast Houston phone store captured a man shooting, choking and hitting a puppy before employees say he took it off the street and sold it to a taco truck employee.

The man, who has not been publicly identified, is expected to face charges after an investigation by the Harris County Constable’s Office and the Houston SPCA.

It happened on April 22, according to the SPCA. It’s one of thousands of cases of animal abuse the nonprofit sees each year, but it’s a good reason to quickly report cruelty if you see it happening, said Roberta Westbrook, Medical and Animal Welfare Director.

“It’s really traumatic to see. You can just imagine how she must feel, having to go through that physically and emotionally,” Westbrook said.

Miraculously, the puppy, estimated to be only a few months old, suffered no serious injuries.

“We were able to catch her early and save her early enough that she didn’t have any lifelong injuries, like broken bones,” Westbrook said.

In the video, the man can be seen pulling the dog by the leash before it flies into the glass wall of the phone store.

After they left, Constable Alan Rosen investigators said the abuse continued outside a taco truck on East Mount Houston Road.

A taco truck employee told KPRC 2 she bought the puppy from the man for $20 because she loves dogs and didn’t like what she saw happening. She wanted to give him a good home.

But employees of the phone store had already called for help and the SPCA responded with police station 1.

They found the puppy, affectionately named Buttercup, about a quarter-mile away, over a highway overpass, from the phone store, to the taco stand.

A medical evaluation determined she had no serious injuries and did not require surgery.

“The really good thing is that it didn’t break his spirit. She’s still so full of energy and love,” Westbrook said.

Tuesday evening, Buttercup was adopted from the Houston SPCA.

Her new owner told KPRC 2 she had been looking for a puppy for six months and when she met Buttercup, she thought he was perfect.

She didn’t know the history of the alleged abuse, but the Houston SPCA said it should remind everyone to call and report any suspected abuse.

“The best thing you can do is get involved. Call the Houston SPCA. Let someone know so we can come out right away. And luckily, that’s what happened. Someone called us. We were able to get out quickly so we could still follow the person,” Westbrook said.

PCT. 1 investigators referred the case to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Pct. I said, but charges haven’t been filed yet.

Report animal cruelty to the Houston SPCA by calling 713-869-7722 or houstonspca.org.