Caught on camera: Puppy choked in shocking confrontation in San Francisco homeless tent

ByDan Noyes KGO logo

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Caught on camera: Puppy choked in shocking confrontation in San Francisco homeless tent

A confrontation between two homeless women led to a six-month-old puppy being choked. The authorities did not take action, until the ABC7 I-Team got involved.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A confrontation between two homeless women led to a six-month-old puppy being choked. The authorities did not take action, until the ABC7 I-Team got involved.

This happened in one of those homeless tents that have popped up around San Francisco during the coronavirus pandemic. We've been investigating the impact on both the homeless and residents in the area.

This is a difficult story and you won't see the violence against the puppy. You will hear her cries, but don't worry. She is okay.

When we first met Jasmine Mixon for our report on Tuesday, her six-month-old puppy couldn't resist our furry microphone wind-screen.

Jasmine stays in a Lower Polk alley, where you can't park a car, but the homeless can pitch a tent and not be moved because of coronavirus pandemic rules.

Lisa Russell has severe asthma, and with one tent an arm's length from her apartment window, she's worried about contracting coronavirus.

Dan Noyes: "Is it a stretch to say that you feel like a prisoner in your own home?"

Lisa Russell: "Absolutely, I feel 100% like a prisoner."

Then, this happened, early Thursday morning. Lisa recorded a commotion outside her window. It was Jasmine fighting with her girlfriend, who began choking her dog.

Jasmine Mixon can be heard yelling, "Let her go! She's choking my dog," as Nani cries out.

The I-Team came back this morning to talk to Lisa about witnessing such an awful thing.

She told us, "This dog is innocent, it didn't hurt anybody."

Lisa says the police would not take action unless the dog's owner pressed charges: "And I was like, you can just abuse a dog in San Francisco."

So, the I-Team contacted public officials, including San Francisco Animal Care and Control. They came to the alley yesterday, but both of the women and the dog were gone.

Today, we interviewed Supervisor Aaron Peskin, whose district includes the alley, about that disturbing video.

"We've heard anecdotal reports of rapes, of middle of the night violence," said Peskin. "I didn't like seeing that video, but it just confirmed what we already know."

Peskin tells us he's working on finding alternative sites for homeless tents, increasing testing for SRO hotels. He's been working on homelessness for his 20 years as supervisor.

Dan Noyes: "I hear that you're trying your best. But, man, just speaking for the public, they'll just hear, huh, more of the same, there's nothing being done."

Aaron Peskin: "And let me just say, this is not a time for words, it is a time for action, and my job is to do everything within my power to have the executive branch of government give some action or relief to these folks."

After the supervisor left, Jasmine and her dog, Nani, reappeared.

Dan Noyes: "Hi! But she's okay, huh?"

Jasmine Mixon: "She's okay, she's fine, she was fine right after that."

We checked Nani for injuries, felt her neck and she didn't react. She appears fine. Jasmine tells us she has split from the woman who choked Nani, but it's difficult to stay away from her, living on the streets.

"If I did have a chance to get a hotel room, then yeah, I definitely would take it because it would be a lot more beneficial for me and her."

Supervisor Peskin tells me he's trying to find a city hotel room for the two of them. Some do take pets. And Peskin sent this 8-page memo to the mayor and other city, assessing the homeless situation and charting a path forward. You can read the memo here.

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