Man caught on camera repeatedly hitting puppy as police and RSPCA launch investigation
Warning - this video contains footage which some may find upsetting.
A man has been caught on camera repeatedly hitting a puppy while on a walk.
Staffordshire Police has confirmed it is investigating and is appealing for anyone with any information to come forward.
The RSPCA announced it would probe footage taken from a doorbell camera in the Hanley area of Stoke-on-Trent.
In the footage, the man is seen walking the dog and pulls the dog towards him. He then proceeds to hit the animal multiple times.
After dragging it further along the road, the man can be seen with the puppy in his hands walking back in the direction he came from, and he can be heard saying "I don't want it no more."
The police force is appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police said: "We are aware of the video of a puppy in Hanley circulating on social media and are investigating alongside the RSPCA.
"If you have any information that could help us with our inquiries, contact us through Live Chat on our website or call 101, quoting incident number 331 of July 7."
The RSPCA confirmed yesterday it has received a report about the footage.
A spokesperson from the RSPCA said: "We are aware of this and are looking into it. As such, we are unable to comment further at this time.
"We are grateful to people who report suspected animal suffering to us and we would like to reassure people we will always look into and, if necessary, investigate any complaints made to us about animal welfare."