The film shows how the man kicks the dog repeatedly and lays it in the leash. The event took place outdoors in Täby north of Stockholm on Monday morning.

A witness, who saw what was happening down the street, began filming from his window.

- He kicks, beats and tugs at the dog. A kick is so damn hard that the dog moves half a meter of the force, says the witness who immediately called 112.

Clips got spread

The police sent a patrol to the scene, but then the man was gone. A clip showing the event was later published in a local group on Facebook where it quickly surfaced in thousands of shares.

With the help of the public, the vulnerable dog could be found and disposed of by the police under the Animal Protection Act.

"It is under police care, the dog is fine where it is," says Lena Jacobsson, who is the lead investigator at the animal welfare police.

The police have received several reports and are now investigating the incident as suspected animal cruelty.

- The preliminary investigation is ongoing and we are now waiting for directives from the Prosecutor's Office.

Few are sentenced to prison

However, she does not want to go into if there is any suspect.

- I can't say anything about this at the moment, says Lena Jacobsson.

Anyone convicted of animal cruelty risks up to two years in prison. But, as SVT News has reported, very few are sentenced to prison for animal cruelty.