A professional dog walker was forced to close down his Chicago pet care business after a surveillance video surfaced online showing the man viciously kicking a puppy that was in his care inside an elevator.

The incident took place Tuesday morning at Catalyst Apartments in the 120 block of Desplaines Street in the West Loop section of Chicago.

In the CCTV footage, a balding man in his 30s is seen entering an elevator with two dogs - a small white pooch and a beagle puppy.

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Caught in the act: A camera inside an elevator at Catalyst Apartments in the 120 block of Desplaines Street in the West Loop section of Chicago caught this dog walker abusing one of the pets in his charge

Unprovoked attack: As soon as the dog walker, identified as Jon Steinholt, was left alone with the two small dogs in his care, he stepped on the paws of a beagle named Chloe

Once he is left alone with the animals, the man suddenly steps on the beagle's paws.

Moments later, he draws back his left leg and forcefully kicks the cowering animal in the stomach.

The animal abuser has since been identified as Jon Steinholt, the owner of Alone at Home Pet Care.

In the wake of the widespread outrage sparked by the disturbing footage, Steinholt has sent his customers an email acknowledging the act of cruelty.

‘I am a despicable individual who did a horrible thing to a defenseless animal,’ Steinholt's email read, according to CBS Chicago. ‘I deserve all that I am now receiving. I am ashamed of my actions. ’

Pet owners' worst nightmare: Moments later, he drew back his left leg and forcefully kicked the cowering animal in the stomach

Betrayed trust: Upon seeing the video, Chloe's owner sent a letter to fellow Alone at Home clients, saying she had hired Steinholt last September believing he was a pet lover.

In his note, Steinholt announced that he was shuttering his pet care business 'effective immediately.'

Alone at Home's website was taken down Wednesday, and Yelp users confirmed that the business has folded.

The owner of the abused dog, a beagle named Chloe, said in a letter to fellow Alone at Home customers that she had hired Steinholt back in September 2014, believing that he was a 'pet-loving, respectable business owner,' according to DNAInfo Chicago.