A video surfaced in Houston showing a man kicking a defenseless puppy, not once—but repeatedly. The footage is clear. The dog doesn’t provoke him. In fact, you can see her try to get away, only for the man to go after her again.

Thanks to public outrage and the fast response of the rescue group ThisIsHouston, the puppy—now named Mirabel—was located, along with her sibling Isabel. Both are safe and being cared for.

But the man seen attacking her? He hasn’t been held accountable.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges, stating that the evidence did not meet the standards required under Texas’s current animal cruelty statute.

That’s not good enough.

If kicking a puppy on camera isn’t cruelty under Texas law, then something is broken—and it needs to be fixed. The public sees what the justice system refuses to act on, and it’s eroding trust in our institutions.

We, the undersigned, are calling on the Harris County District Attorney’s Office to reopen this case and file criminal animal cruelty charges against the man seen kicking Mirabel.

The Harris County Sheriff and Houston Police Department to commit to transparent follow-up on animal abuse cases—especially when caught on camera.

Animal abuse is a red flag for other forms of violence. It deserves to be taken seriously—not dismissed on a technicality. Letting this go sends the wrong message: that abusers can get away with it as long as there’s no paperwork trail.