Hunger Games star Jena Malone describes witnessing ‘abhorrent’ attack on dog

Hunger Games actress Jena Malone has described how she was involved in chasing down a man in Los Angeles who was seen violently abusing a small dog.

The actress, who also stars in Sucker Punch and Pride and Prejudice, said it had been “really scary” to witness the “abhorrent behaviour” which occurred in Hollywood.

It comes after US outlet NBC reported that a group of people were caught on camera beating a man following his mistreatment of the animal on Wednesday.

Responding to the report on Twitter, Malone said: “This was really scary. I saw a man kicking repeatedly a small dog… yanking him up in the air and absolutely choking the dog.

“I yelled at him to stop from my car but he wouldn’t. I got out of my car to try and get the dog but he started running… so I started chasing him.

“I saw other people watching on the street, upset, as they must have seen the same abhorrent behaviour I witnessed, so I tried to signal a man in an orange vest to run with me to chase him.”

The actress said she had returned to her car after seeing the man was being pursued by a group of men but said she had not seen the ensuing “brawl” take place.

“Six blocks down from where the chase began a big group had gathered and it looked like the man no longer had the dog. So I pulled over to make sure that dog was going to be cared for,” she said.

“I didn’t see the brawl but I was told that the man did not give up the dog without a fight.”

NBC reported that the Los Angeles Police Department had not filed charges against the group who attacked the man, but that he had been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty.

The dog, named Champion, was taken by animal control and subsequently returned to his owners.

He had been missing for five days and suffered multiple injuries including broken ribs during the incident, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help pay for his medical bills, which Malone shared.