Texas Energy Contract Worker Caught On Video Beating Dogs With Pipe Wrench

KINGWOOD, Texas (CBSNewYork) -- A Texas energy contract worker was caught on video beating two dogs in a family's backyard with a pipe wrench.

Mike Wilcox, of Kingwood, posted video of the incident to Facebook on Sunday, which has since gone viral.

WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT

"While we were home one morning a couple of weeks ago a Centerpoint worker comes into our backyard never knocking on the door and wakes up our dogs. Then proceeds to hit them with pipe wrench. My wife and kids watched all this from about 5 feet away," Wilcox wrote.

Wilcox told CBS Houston affiliate KHOU-TV that he is facing $2,000 in veterinarian bills for his dogs' injuries. Flash and Shutter, both 8-year-old Weimaraners, suffered swollen jaws and concussions.

"Never bitten anybody, very friendly," Wilcox said. "It was like the guy was swinging to kill."

Wilcox explained that a man claiming to be from CenterPoint Energy showed up unannounced to his home on March 23 around 9:40 a.m. Wife Marina Wilcox said the man told her that he was there to work on the meter and he turned down her offer to put the dogs in the house.

"My 4-year-old son was very upset about it," she told KHOU. "He started crying. He was scared."

Marina Wilcox rushed to her husband after witnessing what happened.

"I said, 'I need to know your name,' and he's like, 'CenterPoint.' And I was like, 'OK, you need to get off our property before things get really ugly here," Mike Wilcox told KHOU.

The Wilcox family filed a complaint with CenterPoint, but said they have yet to hear back.

CenterPoint told KHOU that employees and contractors are trained in how to deal with animals.

"We have determined that a CenterPoint Energy contractor was at this address on this date. CenterPoint Energy does not condone or tolerate abuse of animals by our employees or our contractors," spokesperson Olivia Ross said. "We have notified the contract company and they have assured us that they will conduct a full investigation into the incident."

Mike Wilcox said the Houston Police Department will be investigating the incident.