Local Woman Sentenced in Puppy Beating Case Caught on Video

Published on October 28, 2025

SAN ANTONIO (October 28, 2025) – A 23-year-old San Antonio woman has been sentenced to 8 years’ probation after the court found her guilty on felony animal cruelty charges this afternoon. Havanna Miller originally pled no contest to 187th District Court Judge Stephanie Boyd last month, but a plea bargain resulted in a conviction sentence. Boyd sentenced Miller to 8 years of probation and a two-thousand-dollar fine, as well as mandatory anger management and responsible pet ownership courses. The court also restricted Miller from owning any pets during the course of her sentence.

Video captured Miller striking her puppy on her apartment balcony in January of this year. Footage recorded by another resident in the complex off Culebra showed Miller on her apartment balcony repeatedly striking a small puppy. San Antonio Animal Care Services (SAACS) Cruelty Investigators, alongside detectives with the S.A.P.D. Property Crimes Task Force immediately initiated an investigation, and she was arrested without incident the following day.

The 3-month-old poodle was placed with an experienced SAACS foster family during the course of the case. After a judge granted legal custody to SAACS, the pet was transferred to an out-of-state rescue group and has since been adopted.