The Austin Police Department has arrested John Kaschak, 35, after an investigation found probable cause that he was involved in a viral video of a dog being harmed on a downtown apartment balcony.
Kaschak was charged with cruelty to animals, a third-degree felony, according to APD spokesperson Clara Ash.
The video, which was posted on Reddit on Sunday, shows a man repeatedly shoving a dog with patio furniture and striking him with a belt and a towel. The dog, Boone, is a male Blue Lacy and is estimated to be 8 years old, according to Elizabeth Ferrer, a communications specialist for Austin Animal Services.
The case was investigated by APD’s animal cruelty unit and Austin Animal Services’ Animal Protection team. APD officials said evidence and witness testimonials from concerned community members were “instrumental” in establishing probable cause.
Shravan Parsi, the CEO of Kaschak’s former employer American Ventures, confirmed Kaschak is no longer employed by the firm in a LinkedIn post.
“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,” Parsi said in the post. “His last day of employment was Friday, February 6.”
Boone is being taken care of at Austin Animal Services’ shelter in East Austin. Ferrer said he will most likely be eligible for adoption once the case concludes, pending the judge’s orders.
Ferrer said community members can help out now by adopting or fostering other animals from the shelter. Austin Animal Services is responsible for handling all of APD’s animal cruelty cases, which she said can put a strain on the shelter’s resources.
The shelter currently has about 50 animals in its care that are involved in an animal abuse case, she said.
