Videos circulating on social media showing a defenseless dog being beaten prompted Austin Police to remove the furvictim – No arrest made yet

- Texas, USA -

~ Update: February 15, 2026

The Austin Police Department has arrested the male who was seen on videos that circulated on social media, mercilessly abusing his defenseless dog on an apartment balcony.

On February 12, 2026, officers arrested 35-year-old JOHN STEWART KASCHAK (pictured).

KASCHAK was seen on videos repeatedly shoving his dog named Boone, with patio furniture and striking him with a belt and a towel. 

KASCHAK was charged with a third-degree felony charge of cruelty to animals.

KASCHAK was an employee at American Ventures, an Austin-based commercial real estate investment firm. The company’s CEO, Shravan Parsi, announced that KASCHAK was no longer employed by the company after the video began to circulate online.

In a LinkedIn post Mr. Parsi said: “We are angered, shocked, and saddened by a social media video depicting John Kaschak, a former employee of our firm, engaging in conduct toward his dog that we find deeply disturbing and unacceptable. Mr. Kaschak is no longer employed by our firm. His last day of employment was Friday, February 6. Those of us who own and love pets understand the central role they play in our lives and in our families. The behavior shown in the video does not reflect our values and is not something we condone under any circumstances.”

On a separate note, Travis County court records show KASCHAK was previously arrested on two driving while intoxicated charges, in 2011 and 2018. In both cases, he was fined and sentenced to probation.

~ Update: February 11, 2026

Austin Police tell me that “Boone’s s breed is ‘Blue Lacy’, veterinarians with the Austin Animal Services estimate he's about 7 years old. He’s in generally in good health and staff continues to work on helping him feel safe. Boone will not be available for adoption or foster until the investigation is complete.”

~ Original story:

The Austin Police Department said in a statement that on the afternoon of Sunday, February 8, 2026, officers responded to SEVEN Apartments on 615 West 7th Street after receiving “multiple reports, including a resident complaint and tips from the public, alerting police to videos circulating on social media that appeared to show a dog being physically abused on an apartment balcony.”

Upon arrival, the complainant provided officers with videos that had been recorded from a nearby unit. According to Austin Police, footage showed “a male subject restraining a dog against a balcony railing and striking the animal.”

The videos were also reviewed by the APD Animal Cruelty Unit, and it was determined that “the conduct depicted was consistent with unjustified pain and suffering.”

Due to concerns for the furvictim’s safety, detectives coordinated with patrol officers and Austin Animal Protection.

Later in the evening, officers located the male seen in the videos as he was returning to the apartment complex with the dog, named Boone.

Officers removed Boone and took him to Austin Animal Services for evaluation and safekeeping.

According to Austin Police, Boone was evaluated by an Animal Services veterinarian and is in “generally good health.”

Police advised that the investigation is ongoing and detectives are gathering information and interviewing witnesses. At the time of writing, no arrest has been made yet.

I emailed the Austin Police Department to inquire about Boone’s well-being. If I get a response, I will post an update.

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the statement released by the Austin Police Department. Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

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