A South L.A. teenager was facing four felony counts of animal cruelty today after he allegedly abused his family dog on video and posted the clips to a social media site, officials alleged.

The charges were filed today by the L.A. County District Attorney's office, prosecutors announced.

L.A. County Department of Animal Care and Control director Marcia Mayeda told us the 17-year-old allegedly …
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hit the dog, pinched it and did other things to “cause it pain.”

She alleged he …

 … filmed himself abusing his dog and placed the videos on social media website. People saw that and reported that to us.

She would not name the site involved. The teen's name was not released because he is underage.

The pooch, a 2-year-old Weimaraner renamed Charlie by Animal Care and Control officials, recuperated and was adopted by an Animal Care worker, Mayeda said.

“He's okay,” she said. “He has some scarring on his face.”

Mayeda said she's concerned about the suspect:

It's very disturbing for us when we see cases like this. Cruelty to animals by juveniles is an indicator of potential for violence towards humans. It's really a sign of serious problems.

The D.A.'s office says the juvenile was due in court Feb. 27. He could face three years behind bars if successfully convicted.

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