California man caught in viral video beating dog avoids jail time

An Orange County man who last year was caught on a doorbell security camera hitting and kicking a dog at an apartment complex in Anaheim will not serve time in jail after his felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said the charges against Albert Frank Abad, Jr., 34, were reduced by an Orange County Superior Court Judge, much to the dismay of his office.

Abad was seen on video last September walking in a hallway at an apartment building in Anaheim when he begins hitting and kicking his Labradoodle, “Steeler.” Video of incident was shared on social media hundreds of times, leading to Abad being identified as the suspect and felony charges being drafted.

Days after the video blew up online, Abad turned himself in to face charges. Steeler was surrendered to a Los Angeles area animal hospital.

Originally charged with a felony, Abad’s charges were reduced to one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty, which saved him from jail time and landed him one year of probation. He was also ordered to not own any animals.

Spitzer said prosecutors were seeking jail time for the incident, calling the decision to reduce the charge, which was at the judge’s discretion, “shocking.”

“The love of a dog is unconditional and to betray that trust is truly disgusting,” Spitzer said in a Wednesday news release. “No animal should be subjected to brutality at the hand of their owner and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office remains committed to holding animal abusers accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

The dog in the video was eventually turned over to an out-of-state animal rescue organization, Spitzer said.

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