Wisconsin town’s chair arrested following allegations he fatally choked a stray dog

A town chair in Dodge County is facing a felony animal abuse charge following allegations that he strangled a stray dog to death. Richard Van Buren of the town of Chester was arrested Thursday.

According to the criminal complaint filed Friday, a woman was walking in the town of Chester, near Waupun, and saw a golden retriever she said “looked like it wanted help and was dehydrated as it barked at her.”

The woman said she coaxed the dog into her car and called local police, the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office and a nearby humane society, which told her to bring the dog to Van Buren’s property. The complaint says town chairs are often designated to be responsible when stray animals are found and local governments don’t have a contract with a humane society.

The woman said Van Buren used a leash “as a ‘noose’” and pulled the dog through her vehicle’s window, after which it bit his hand. She said he then lifted the dog by the leash using both hands and it foamed at the mouth. She told officers she tried to get Van Buren to stop but he didn’t listen, and the dog later went limp.

Another town board supervisor present during the incident told investigators the dog was aggressive and drew blood on Van Buren, while also stating Van Buren’s actions were “violent” and possibly in reaction to being bitten.

Van Buren also told investigators the dog was aggressive and said he tried to calm it down before using a rope as a “choke collar” to help get it into a kennel.

“Richard Van Buren admitted dealing with aggressive dogs doesn’t usually ‘end well’ and indicated he had dealt with them in the past in his capacity as the town chair,” the investigator wrote. “Richard Van Buren admitted the choke collar was ‘too tight for too long probably,’ which was why the dog died.”

Van Buren later told officers he usually keeps a stray dog for seven days and after that, “he takes care of it.” The officer clarified that meant Van Buren later shoots them.

A Facebook post from Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt states Van Buren was booked into the Dodge County Jail on Thursday. The sheriff identified Van Buren as the chair of the Chester Town Board in rural Waupun.

He appeared in court Friday for an initial appearance where he received a signature bond.

Schmidt’s statement commented on “significant public outcry” but said enforcement actions are not based on “outcry or pressure from the community.”

“While the community may at times request immediate action by a law enforcement agency, that may not always be what is best for the final resolution of a case,” Schmidt said. “If the sheriff’s office were to make snap decisions in cases like this, and a defendant in a case were not held accountable as a result, there would be equally significant public outcry.”

Schmidt also said some community members have made threatening comments following news of the incident that “are not only inappropriate but may also be illegal.”

“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,” Schmidt said. “The sheriff’s office will take threats seriously and make arrests as appropriate if they are deemed to be in violation of the law. This includes threats which are made via social media.”

According to a report from TMJ4, Waupun resident Shelby Krohn said she was the person who initially found the dog in the town of Chester. 

In a Wednesday Facebook post, the Dodge County Humane Society said it was working with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office amid the investigation.

“Our hearts are heavy – for this dog, for the kind person that found them, and for everyone in our community who feels the pain of animals we can’t always reach in time,” the post says.

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