A mother in the US city of Minneapolis has vowed to take legal action against the police after an officer shot her family's two dogs while responding to a home burglary alarm on Saturday night (8 July).

Jennifer LeMay, who lives in the north of the city, posted surveillance video footage of the shooting to Facebook. It appears to show the uniformed officer in her fenced-in backyard at around 9pm.

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He can be seen drawing his firearm and retreating as one of the Staffordshire Bull Terriers approaches and walks across the lawn.

As the animal, which appears calm and is wagging its tail, walks closer to the officer he suddenly opens fire, shooting a round into the pet. This causes it to recoil and writhe around on the ground.

Another dog, which it later emerged was the first canine's brother, comes into view and heads towards the officer before fleeing when the officer fires three rounds in its direction.

The dogs can be seen running away as the officer then leaves the backyard by jumping over the fence.

LeMay, who lives in the 3800 block of Queen Avenue N., said one of the dogs, Ciroc, was shot once in the face – shattering its jaw – while the other, Rocko, suffered gunshot wounds to the side, face and shoulder.

Both animals, which the family has owned since they were puppies, were taken to a vet and are expected to survive. They are currently recovering at the family home.

"We are truly blessed that these dogs are alive," LeMay said on Facebook.

The mother-of-four said her surveillance video shows the dogs were not aggressive or charging the officer.

The pets are physician-prescribed emotional support animals for LeMay's two sons, who suffer from severe anxiety.

The family will be taking legal action against the police.

"We will be pressing charges to the fullest extent of the law and obtaining counsel to do so [but] right now obviously a primary focus is the boys and their health," LeMay wrote.

The house alarm was accidentally tripped by her 13-year-old daughter who watched the incident unfold from the house, LeMay added. She claimed neither of the two attending officers knocked on the family's door before the shootings.

Minneapolis police released a statement on Sunday, saying that the department is aware of the shooting.

"Any time an officer discharges their firearm in the line of duty there is an investigation that is completed by the Minneapolis Police Department's Internal Affairs Unit," the statement said.

"We are in the process of reviewing the video posted online, as well as the officer's body camera video."

The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the thousands of dollars worth of vet bills, so far raising just over $14,000 (£10,900, €12,300).