YouTuber Brooke Houts has been denounced by her followers after she accidentally uploaded an unedited, concerning video which shows her hitting, shoving, seemingly spitting on and yelling at her dog, Sphinx.
In the clip, which was shared on her channel on Tuesday, has sparked an investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.
The 20-year-old YouTuber apologized and told her subscribers that she was trying to prank her pooch — a Doberman named Sphinx.
“I apologize to anyone who has been [affected] negatively by the footage,” Houts tweeted. “When my 75 lb. Doberman is jumping up in my face with his mouth open, I do, as a dog parent, have to show him that that behavior is unacceptable. But I want to make it known REGARDLESS of what my dog does, I should not have acted that way towards him.”
She went on to insist that she is not an animal abuser and Sphinx was not in pain.
“Anyone who knows me personally knows I have an immense love for animals, including my own,” Houts wrote. “I would never do anything to purposefully physically or mentally harm any animal. Again, I should NOT have yelled at him or as been as physically aggressive as I was, and I’m fully aware of that. He was not hurt, nor has he ever been physically 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 was apparently attempting to upload an edited video of her playing the plastic wrap prank on Sphinx.
To everyone who has been commenting on my social media as of recently: pic.twitter.com/gnxUbfVHdf
— b (@brookehouts) August 7, 2019
But the damage has been done, with social media calling to “cancel” Houts, who has more than 300,000 subscribers.
I've just seen the video. Clearly you lack the necessary skills needed to be a responsible dog owner. You reacted angrily and with some force towards your pet – it's not your dog that needs training, it's you.
Your behaviour in the video is inexcusable.
— Trippy Pip (@TrippyPip) August 8, 2019
I just watched the video.
The fact that you thought that level of violence was acceptable enough to broadcast everywhere just means it's worse when no one is watching. It says a lot more than this self-pitying, whiny screed.
Your dog should be re-homed. You are an animal abuser.— Brooke Binkowski (@brooklynmarie) August 8, 2019
“Are you serious? You are immature and need anger management,” one former fan tweeted.
Another said, “You don’t deserve him if you can’t care for him give away to someone that will.”
Fans are especially outraged since much of her public persona was built around her relationship with Sphinx.
Houts declined to comment further when contacted by InsideEdition.com.
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the video.
Check out the video below:
