HOUSTON — Precinct 1 deputies are investigating a horrific case of animal abuse in northeast Houston.
They said at least two juveniles deliberately set a kitten on fire on Drifting Winds early Thursday. Witnesses called 911 after seeing the 6-week-hold kitten in flames and running down the street. The juveniles can be heard laughing in the video.
“I feel like those are the kinds of people that start off with animals and then kill people in the future," Arleth Garcia, a witness, told us. "I don’t know who thinks of stuff like that for real and then laughing.”
Her friend tried to put out the fire but the poor kitten had to be euthanized at the Houston SPCA Animal Hospital because of severe burns and internal injuries.
“Absolutely disturbing, it’s upsetting to me as a law enforcement official," Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen told us
Animal cruelty investigators with Precinct 1 and the SPCA returned to the scene Thursday afternoon with a warrant to seize other animals.
They found nine starving dogs packed into dirty cages without access to food or water, according to the SPCA.
“The animals were at different phases of stages of no shelter no water, from all appearances they looked like they were in poor medical shape," Rosen said.
Once the investigation is complete, the case involving the burned kitten will be turned over to the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Rosen said the juveniles and two adults will face felony animal cruelty charges.
"Animals don’t have the voices to speak for themselves," Rosen said. "We all have to be their voice.”
A hearing for custody of the dogs will be held next week.
