YORK, Pa. - A viral video depicting a man beating a dog in a city backyard over the weekend has prompted calls for justice from many in central Pennsylvania and around the world on social media.
York police and the York County SPCA have not identified the man in this video, but they say criminal charges are pending in this case.
Several attempts to contact residents at the home where this happened went unanswered Monday, and many neighbors did not want to talk to reporters.
But one who did not want to be identified tells FOX43 this isn't the first time the man in the video had been seen or heard doing this.
“He used to wake me up beating the dogs in the morning,” the neighbor said. “I just think some of the neighbors just had told him about it and he would stop for a while but then he'd continue to do it, so this time somebody just was disturbed by it and took the video.”
The two dogs were taken from the property to the York County SPCA where a veterinarian took a look at them and says they're doing okay.
“Our Humane Officer has both dogs in custody,” Melissa Smith, of the York County SPCA, said. “They will be immediately examined by our veterinarian to make sure they are okay. We will be filing a cruelty charge later this week regarding the footage.”
Several animal rescuers went to the neighborhood the moment they saw the video, wanting to do what they could to help.
By then, the SPCA was already taking the animals away for examination.
Janine Guido, of Speranza Rescue, drove all the way from her Mechanicsburg facility to try to help in any way she could. She was talking to the humane officers on-scene who were collecting the animals.
“And then maybe two minutes later the female humane officer came out with the puppy in her hand and they went to the van and drove off,” she said.
“I'm an animal rescuer,” Carla Hannon, who runs a rescue in East York, said outside the home. “I foster, I rescue dogs and pets of my own and just thought if I could help, even to offer the guy money for the dog, I would have done it.”
Several rescuers say they are willing to care for the dogs if the SPCA asks them for their help after such an act.
“I've never seen videos like that type of abuse this close to home,” Guido said. “The fact that it was in York just disgusts me.”
An update from the York County SPCA in this case is expected Tuesday. Stay with FOX43 for all the latest updates on this story.