A Wisconsin board chairman, Richard Van Buren, 55, is facing a charge of mistreatment of an animal. He allegedly strangled a recently found lost golden retriever to death with a leash. Reportedly, the woman who found the dog witnessed the incident.
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According to Fox 6, citing the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), the incident occurred on Tuesday, June 17, on Oakwood Road in Chester, Wisconsin. Reportedly, at the time, Shelby Krohn had found the dog, which looked lost. After 45 minutes, she managed to get the golden retriever into her car.
Krohn was instructed by the Dodge County Humane Society (DCHS) to take the dog to Van Buren. He is the Chairman of the Chester Town Board. At the same time, the DCHS posted pictures of the golden retriever on Facebook. They were hoping to reconnect the dog with his owner.
Moments after Krohn delivered the dog to Van Buren, a criminal complaint alleges that the dog bit him. Moments later, Van Buren allegedly put one of the dog’s leashes around his neck and strangled the animal through Krohn’s car window, as reported by the New York Post. The dog died as a result.
“The dogs’ legs were off the ground and suspended about two feet in the air,” the complaint alleges. “It was foamed at the mouth.”
‘Murder Of An Animal’
Krohn, who allegedly witnessed the horrifying sight, was left traumatized.
“That was not a mistreatment of an animal, that was murder of an animal. And I’ve seen this and witnessed this,” Krohn told Fox 6. “When I close my eyes, all I can see is those dog eyes looking at me while this man is strangling him to death and I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t do anything.”
The complaint further alleged that Krohn attempted to intervene, begging Van Buren to stop. He didn’t. He then allegedly admitted to Krohn that that wasn’t the first time he had dealt with “aggressive dogs.”
Two days later, Richard Van Buren was arrested on Thursday, June 19. He was charged with felony mistreatment of an animal.
Following the dog’s death, the DCHS issued a statement.
“We are heartbroken and deeply disturbed by the recent incident involving the death of a dog in the Town of Chester,” the DCHS wrote. “This tragic act stands in direct opposition to the values of compassion, responsibility and care that we strive to uphold in our community.”
The DCSO also issued a statement, stating that they do not act based on public outcry. The sheriff’s office also addressed a series of death threats that Van Buren has allegedly received.
“Threats to the personal safety and property of individuals are not only inappropriate but may also be illegal,” the DCSO said. “While we respect the freedom of speech, that freedom of speech does have limits when it comes to threatening another person’s life, family members, or property.”
“The sheriff’s office will take threats seriously and make arrests as appropriate if they are deemed to be in violation of the law.”