Video Shows Dog Walker Kick Beagle in an Elevator

Surveillance-camera video from a Chicago apartment building shows a dog walker stepping on a beagle and then kicking the dog as the pooch cowers and tries to escape his feet.

The dog-kicking took place at the Catalyst Apartments, 123 N. Desplaines St. in the West Loop, late Tuesday morning, according to our friends at DNAInfo Chicago, which posted the video on YouTube. The video shows the man with two leashed dogs — the beagle and a small, white dog. He kicks the dog after another man gets off the elevator. The property manager told DNAInfo that Chicago Police were notified.

“Our door staff was very alert and attentive and noticed (the dog’s behavior), which prompted us to follow (the dog walker) and watch him,” the property manager said.

The dog’s owner said the walker is the owner of a neighborhood pet-care company. CBS Chicago tracked down Jon Steinholt, who owns At Home Pet Care. The website for the pet-care company he owns was shut down on Wednesday and negative reviews are pouring in on its Yelp page.

“I am a despicable individual who did a horrible thing to a defenseless animal,” Steinholt wrote in an email to his customers. “I deserve all that I am now receiving. I am ashamed of my actions. ...

“Effective immediately, Alone At Home Pet care is over.”

The dog owner wanted the video to be made public.

“As you can imagine, I am extremely upset about this incident and the fact that I trusted (the man) to come into my home and care for my dog on a regular basis for the last nine months,” the owner said in a letter to other dog owners. “I felt that I had to share this video with all of you due to extreme concern for the safety of your animals.”

» read more via DNAInfo Chicago

warning: the video may be disturbing