A Lowell woman is under arrest after disturbing footage surfaced showing her engaging in repeated acts of violence against a small dog, local police confirmed. The incident, which took place outside an apartment building in the Massachusetts city, was captured by surveillance video. The footage shows the woman aggressively kicking the dog, actions that have led to charges of animal cruelty against her.
The troubling scenes were recorded early Friday morning, according to WHDH. The video depicts a woman walking up to and then striking a cowering dog not once, but on multiple occasions. After the initial attack, the woman is seen to swiftly walk back into the apartment before later emerging to once again go after the distressed animal.
Neighbors have expressed shock and disgust at the actions of the woman, captured in stark clarity on the video. "That was gross," one neighbor emphasized in a statement obtained by WHDH, while another described the situation as "horrible." Ann Isler, a resident across the street, was not shocked to see animal control later arrive at the scene, admitting she often saw the dog off-leash.
The woman's actions have stirred up considerable emotion in the community, with Isler telling Boston 25 News, "I wanted to go kick her." Further graphic video obtained by Boston 25 News shows the same woman grabbing the dog by the collar and then flinging it to the side of the house. Post-abuse, more footage records her corralling the dog into her house as the scared animal runs inside.
According to Boston 25 News, the dog, believed to be owned by the woman and her partner, is currently in the custody of animal control. The identity of the woman has not been released, but she is expected to face animal cruelty charges in Lowell District Court. As law enforcement handles the case, the community continues to grapple with the disturbing implications of the brutality enacted on one of their own — an innocent, voiceless pet.
