Stephenville All-Abuzz After Young Girl Seen On Video Hitting Puppy

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UPDATE 6:00 p.m.:  Stephenville Police say he owner of the dog that was the subject of the cruelty investigation has voluntarily surrendered ownership of the dog. The dog has been turned over to the Erath County Humane Society and will be adopted out according to their protocol.

STEPHENVILLE (CBS11) - The cell phone video of an eight-year-old Stephenville girl repeatedly hitting a puppy with a stick has angered thousands of people in town and on Facebook.

Stephanie Steele recorded the video and is afraid to show her face for fear of retaliation.

"I wanted to cry because it hurts my heart when I hear the dog when it's being beaten like that," said Steele.

Jennifer Aikman, who rescues pit bulls and other dogs posted the video on her Facebook page and has received all kinds of responses.

"Everything from you're an angel to you're a devil and everything in between," said Aikman.

On Tuesday, a woman who left the girl's house didn't stop to talk to us.

The dog's owner who lives in the same duplex as the little girl didn't want to talk with us as she walked into her house, but did shout, "Y'all need to go."

Police say they're not filing animal cruelty charges against the girl because she's too young under state law.

If she were ten or older, Stephenville Police say she may have been charged.

Officers say they're not charging the girl's parents because they didn't know about the incident.

But Aikman isn't impressed. "How could you not hear that puppy screaming? They do know about it. They've been confronted about it."

When asked what their response was, Aikman said they were told, "Mind your business."

But some neighbors, like Angela Kitchens, aren't happy with all the attention this case has received. "They're making a huge spectacle out of it. The mom didn't know anything about it. I babysit the little girl, it's just blown out of proportion."

Stephenville Police say the woman who took the video and brought it to them did the right thing.

Officers say those who see animal abuse should report it.

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