UPDATE at 3:00 p.m. on 6/20/25: Charges have now been filed against 55-year-old Richard Van Buren of Waupun.
He made his first appearance in a Dodge County courtroom on June 20, and now faces a single felony count of mistreatment of an animal.
According to the criminal complaint, a woman contacted the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office on June 17 after she found a stray Golden Retriever who was distressed in the heat. After coaxing it into her car, she was told by the humane society to take it to the town of Chester chairperson Richard Van Buren, who would kennel the dog.
Once at Van Buren’s residence, he took the leash and reached in towards the dog, which was seated on the front passenger-side door. “After getting it around the dog’s neck, he pulled it straight and choked the dog. Richard Van Buren reportedly threw the dog to the ground and said something like, ‘This is what we do on this farm when dogs bite.’ Richard Van Buren never opened the car door and pulled it through the window. This is when the dog bit Richard Van Buren in the hand. After pulling the dog out of the car, Richard Van Buren lifted up on the leash using both hands raised up in the air and extended outwards… He suspended the dog up in the air again and at this time it was limp near the cage.”
Town of Chester supervisor Michael Kuzulka, who was several feet away and witnessed the interaction, told police that the dog “went nuts” and “drew blood” on him and it was “either the dog or Rich”. Kuzulka said Van Buren “held the dog away from him and the dog became ‘hung’… [and that] the dog was continuously attempting to attack Richard Van Buren once it was removed from the vehicle.”
Van Buren admitted to police that once he was told by the witness that the dog was aggressive, he tried to “calm it down… which continued for 10 to 15 minutes. He finally admitted he got a rope around the dog’s neck to act as a choke collar. Richard Van Buren then opened the door with his other hand to pass the rope through and was bit by the dog on his left pinky finger. He said it ‘would not go in the kennel’ and ‘succumbed to the choke collar'”.
Bond was set at $5,000 for Van Buren, who is due back in court for a review hearing on July 16. If convicted, Van Buren could face 3.5 years in prison.
DODGE COUNTY, Wis. — The chairman of the Chester town board was arrested for mistreatment of an animal.
The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office arrested Richard Van Buren on June 19 related to an incident that occurred on June 17, when an incident was reported just after 7:00 p.m. near Oakwood Road that resulted in the death of a Golden Retriever.
Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt says no additional information will be released until official court documents are filed, and that the case remains under investigation.
Schmidt also acknowledges the public outcry regarding this incident, and says that “the sheriff’s office does not make enforcement decisions based on outcry or pressure from the community as that would be inappropriate and unethical. Rather, we take the time to gather the necessary evidence that the district attorney needs for a successful prosecution. 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. 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. This is why we always strive to conduct as much of the investigation, when possible, before making an arrest.”
The sheriff also warned against the threatening comments made by community members on social media. “Threats to the personal safety and property of individuals 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. The sheriff’s office will take threats seriously and make arrests as appropriate if they are deemed to be in violation of the law.”
“Other social media posts have been seen that are grossly inaccurate and inflammatory. One such post alleged that a Dodge County Board Supervisor was on the scene of this incident. We can confirm that no Dodge County officials were present or were involved, and the only officials involved were from the town of Chester, and no other persons have been identified as being party to the crime of mistreating animals in this case.”
Van Buren is the Chairman of the Chester Town Board in rural Waupun, and is currently in the Dodge County Jail waiting his initial appearance in court. Formal charges have not yet been filed.
