A dog named Duke, involved in an animal cruelty investigation, is currently in protective custody as San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) examines allegations raised from a widely circulated video. On September 28, a surveillance camera captured a 53-year-old woman in a motor-assisted wheelchair allegedly striking Duke, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois mix, multiple times in the driveway of a home on Cloud Trails.
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The footage shows the woman yelling at Duke while he cowers between vehicles. The video prompted a significant public response, leading authorities to investigate. ACS officials canvassed the neighborhood, spoke with witnesses, and quickly identified the woman in the video, who has reportedly been cooperative and expressed remorse during the inquiry.
Duke was removed from the home following the execution of a search warrant in the New Territories subdivision and is now being held at a secured location under veterinary supervision. Despite numerous inquiries about adopting Duke, Lisa Norwood of ACS clarified that he is still legally considered the property of his owner, meaning he is not available for adoption at this time. Under Texas law, pets are deemed property until a judge makes a different ruling and all appeals are settled.
Duke is also being treated as evidence in the ongoing investigation, and no further details regarding the case will be disclosed to the public at this stage. ACS confirmed that Duke showed no obvious injuries, but veterinarians are conducting a comprehensive health assessment. A custody hearing in municipal court is scheduled within ten days to determine Duke's future care.