Houston attorney wanted on felony bestiality charge in Harris County

Steven Tyler Swain, a 56-year-old Houston attorney, is wanted on an active arrest warrant in Harris County after investigators say surveillance video captured a felony bestiality offense involving his family French bulldog, Shipley. The dog is safe with Swain’s wife, who discovered the footage after recently installing home cameras while contractor work was underway inside the house.

The case has drawn attention not only because of the charge, but because the accused is a lawyer in Houston, a city where Harris County courts regularly handle animal-cruelty cases that begin with video evidence and a witness report. Court documents cited in local reporting identify the dog as Shipley. Swain’s wife told investigators she was “100% sure” the person in the video was her husband and “100% sure” the dog was theirs.

Local reporting said Swain was charged with bestiality and later released on a $7,500 bond, though investigators still considered him at large when the warrant remained active. FOX 26 said a court appearance was scheduled for Tuesday, May 26. The criminal charge is being handled through the Harris County system, where prosecutors say the Animal Cruelty Section takes cases involving abuse and neglect, including bestiality.

Texas Penal Code Section 21.09 classifies bestiality as a state jail felony, unless aggravating circumstances apply, which can raise the offense to a second-degree felony. That makes the charge more than a lurid allegation; it is a felony case that can move through district court like other serious animal-cruelty prosecutions in Harris County.

The Houston SPCA said it investigates cruelty cases in Harris County and surrounding counties and operates a cruelty hotline and online reporting process. Harris County Precinct 1 investigators and the Houston SPCA have both been involved in other recent video-based cruelty cases, underscoring how quickly surveillance footage and citizen reports can turn into a criminal investigation.

For Harris County prosecutors, the Swain case sits at the intersection of animal welfare, criminal enforcement, and public trust in the legal profession. With an active warrant still in place, the next step is the court process in Harris County, where the felony charge and the video evidence will be examined in open criminal proceedings.