John Brucewayne O'Veal, 21, faces three misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.
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EXCLUSIVE: Mailman appears to pepper-spray dogs in video
In video exclusive to Eyewitness News, a uniformed US Postal Service letter carrier is seen approaching a home in northwest Houston. The dogs run to a tall gate and are sprayed with what appears to be pepper spray. Their owners said they couldn't open their eyes for 3 hours afterwards.
The dogs never seemed to pose a threat. The mailman and the mailbox were on one side. The dogs were on the other.
According to court documents, O'Veal told investigators with the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office "he observed the dogs and their teeth. He sprayed the dogs as he was trained to do." Attempts to reach O'Veal for a response were unsuccessful.
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The dogs' owner, Jose Cruz, doesn't believe that explanation and he didn't want the mailman fired or even charged. He only wanted to him to learn a lesson and to that end, Cruz thinks he has the perfect punishment for the man accused of hurting his dogs.
"I think a little community service. SPCA, that's where we got Bella. We rescued her. It hurts what he did," Cruz told Eyewitness News.
The USPS has not responded to a request for comment. A spokesman has said they couldn't comment on whether the mailman was disciplined because it's a personnel matter.
O'Veal has a warrant out for his arrest. He has no criminal record in Harris County.