A Houston lawyer is facing a felony bestiality charge after his wife allegedly discovered footage of him mistreating their pet dog on home security cameras. Steven Swain, 56, head of The Swain Law Firm and a practising lawyer in Houston since 1997, was charged following an investigation that began in May.
Wife's complaint led to investigation
The investigation started when Swain's wife lodged a complaint with the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in May. She had installed cameras in the house due to ongoing renovations and reported that upon reviewing the footage, she had "caught her husband forcing oral from their dog," according to a probable cause affidavit. The court document identifies the pet as a "small black dog" named Shipley.
Swain's wife stated she was "unaware how long this has been going on but believes its happened more than once," as per the document. After finding the footage, she separated from Swain and took Shipley with her.
Detective's review of the footage
On 11 May 2026, the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals contacted Detective Natalie Spellman, an animal cruelty investigator and peace officer for the Harris County Constable Precinct One, about the complaint. Detective Spellman examined the video submitted by Swain's wife and detailed in the affidavit that it depicted Swain "lying on his back in a bed in a room that appeared to be a bedroom."
Swain could be heard saying, "Come here, Shipley," as the family's dog entered the frame, Spellman elaborated. The detective then described the alleged sexual abuse of the dog throughout the video, which lasted one minute and 27 seconds.
Details from the wife's account
Detective Spellman spoke with Swain's wife on May 13. She said the family was undergoing a home renovation expected to last a year and a half, so she installed security cameras around the property to oversee the contractors' work. At the end of October or beginning of November 2025, she discovered that her husband was "seeing prostitutes regularly multiple times along with other weird occurrences inside the home," according to the affidavit.
This prompted her to install additional cameras, including a "nanny cam" type device in the bedroom because the contractors were working in the bathroom at the time. She said the incident occurred on November 21, 2025, and that she discovered it that night after reviewing the footage. She told the detective she didn't know what to do after the discovery and said she was "100 percent sure" that the man in it was her husband and that the dog was Shipley.
After the investigation, Swain was charged with bestiality. He has since been released from jail on a bond of $75,000.
