Brookhaven Police Department Nabs PETA Award for Rescuing Puppy Abused on Twitch

For Immediate Release:
February 3, 2026

Contact:
Hannah Nelson 202-483-7382

A Compassionate Police Department Award is on its way from PETA to the Brookhaven Police Department in recognition of officers’ professionalism and swift action in rescuing a 3-month-old puppy who was seen being beaten on a woman’s Twitch stream on January 29.

In the video, 19-year-old Aspen Easterling, a rapper and Twitch streamer also known as Aspen Kartier, could be seen appearing to strike the wailing puppy repeatedly and grabbing the small dog by the skin on the pup’s back. After receiving evidence and information from PETA, the police department searched Easterling’s home on January 30 and booked her on cruelty-to-animals charges. According to the police department, the dog is now safe and in the care of DeKalb County Animal Control.

“If someone is willing to repeatedly hit a crying puppy on the global stage of a livestream, there’s no telling what might happen when the cameras are off,” says PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is grateful to the Brookhaven Police Department for enforcing the state’s anti-cruelty law and reminds everyone never to be silent if they see or suspect abuse, as one phone call can make all the difference in a vulnerable being’s life.”

PETA is sending a framed certificate to the Brookhaven Police Department, along with delicious vegan chocolates.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.