Cat shot and killed - Woodstock, IL

Wednesday, Nov 20, 2002

Dennis Braun, 35, of Woodstock faces felony charge of aggravated cruelty to an animal alleging he shot a cat with a shotgun November 20 in his father's Woodstock-area farmhouse. Judge Sharon Prather has also placed a two-year restraining order barring him from any contact with the former housemate who said he shot her cat to death and then threatened her during an argument last month.

Braun did not dispute he shot the cat. He said it was necessary to prevent the cat from starving to death or being killed by a wild animal. He testified the cat did not belong to Dena Clark, 35, but to his brother.

Braun was asked why he shot the cat inside the house with Clark present and he replied, "It was trying to run away." Dena Clark said she owned the cat for more than two years and that Braun shot it out of anger towards her.

Clark said, "He took my cat, brought it up to a bedroom and shot and killed it. He said, 'I'm going to put your cat out of its misery.'"

Clark was asked if she feels threatened by Braun and replied, "Yes, I do. Absolutely."

Braun is free on a $5,000 bond. He is scheduled to return to court on December 18 for a pre-trial hearing on the criminal case. If he is convicted of the animal cruelty charge, he could face up to three years in prison.

Braun's younger brother, Michael Braun, 32, is scheduled to go on trial next week on misdemeanor charges he allowed a fatal virus to run rampant in his puppy-breeding operation which resulted in at least three dogs dying from the virus.

References

• Chicago IL Daily Herald - Dec 12, 2002

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