Man Charged With Animal Cruelty After Video Of Him Kicking A Beagle Emerges

By Rachel Cromidas in News on May 29, 2015 2:20PM

The dog walker caught on video kicking a beagle earlier this week has been charged with animal cruelty, according to authorities.

Jonathon Stenholt, 39, was charged with one misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals Thursday after he was identified by police as the man in the video, caught on security camera footage in the elevator of a West Loop apartment building. The video showed that Stenholt was "abusing a dog in his care" on May 26 at about 11:18 a.m., according to police.

Police first began investigating the incident Tuesday morning, when the building's security staff showed the video to officers and the dog's owner filed a police report, according to the Chicago Tribune. Stenholt has been identified as the owner of a pet care company called Alone at Home Pet Care, and appears to have multiple clients in that building. The owner of the beagle shared the video with other clients in an email, saying he was "Extremely upset," according to the Tribune.

Stenholt allegedly apologized for the abuse in an email to clients, CBS2 reported.

“I am a despicable individual who did a horrible thing to a defenseless animal," the email read, according to CBS2. "I deserve all that I am now receiving. I am ashamed of my actions.”

Stenholt's first court date is July 1.