LAPD investigating YouTuber Brooke Houts after she was filmed abusing her pet dog

Animal Cruelty Task Force says it is 'currently looking into the matter'

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has launched an investigation into YouTube creator Brooke Houts after a video appeared to show the 20-year-old abusing her pet dog.

On Wednesday, Houts posted a video to her YouTube channel which she claims was supposed to be a prank showing her dog running into plastic wrap.

However, the YouTuber incorrectly uploaded unedited footage to her 335,000 subscribers which appeared to show her hitting, pushing and shouting at her Doberman, Sphinx, who regularly features in her videos.

After receiving numerous complaints, the LAPD's Animal Cruelty Task Force has announced it is launching an investigation into the footage.

“Our Animal Cruelty Task Force has received numerous complaints about the video you’re speaking of and we are currently looking into the matter,” an LAPD spokesperson told The Verge.

The police department has not shared any further information about the case or confirmed whether Houts is cooperating with its investigation.

The unedited version of Houts’ video was taken down shortly after posting, but the footage had already begun to spread quickly across social media after popular YouTube drama commentator Keemstar shared the clip on Twitter.

“SHOCKING! YouTuber @brookehouts uploads a unedited wrong video file to her chanel! [sic],” Keemstar wrote.

“Unedited version shows her abusing her dog!”

Twitter users and a number of fellow YouTuber’s condemned Houts’ actions with many calling her behaviour “deplorable” and “disturbing”.

Controversial YouTuber Logan Paul tweeted: “This video of that girl hitting and spitting on her dog is remarkably grotesque, and irks me for many reasons."

Paul continued by calling Houts’ behaviour towards the dog “unwarranted” and said she was “completely unfit” to be a pet owner.

Following the backlash, Houts issued a statement on Twitter in which she apologised to anyone who had been negatively affected by the footage.

Houts explained that things in her life had been “less than exceptional” when the video was filmed and later defended part of her behaviour based on the fact that her dog weighs 75 pounds.

“When he is jumping up in my face with his mouth open, I, as a dog parent, have to show him that this behaviour is unacceptable,” Houts explained.

Despite her actions in the video, she added that she is not a dog abuser.

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

Despite her apology, many Twitter users have called for Houts’ YouTube channel to be removed, including animal rights charity PETA.

“Dogs deserve respect. If you can’t treat dogs with kindness and instead hit them, don’t get one,” the organisation wrote.

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

The Independent has contacted YouTube for comment.