TOWN OF RICHMOND, WI- A Town of Richmond Board meeting drew strong emotions, passionate pleas, and disturbing allegations Monday night, as residents and animal advocates spoke out against the town’s current approach to handling stray dogs.
The meeting, standing-room only at times, centered on growing concerns over how stray animals are treated—particularly by the town’s contracted dog catcher. Several speakers expressed frustration over a lack of transparency, accountability, and humane treatment, while others made serious claims of abuse and fear for personal safety.
Officials voted to partner with the Shawano County Humane Society to assist with picking up stray dogs—at no cost to the township. The town also agreed to post photos of found animals on social media to help reunite them with their owners.
“We now have a path, we have a plan, we can work together,” said Humane Society Executive Director Pam Nowak. “We all understand and we’re clear.”
Calls for Change and Compassion
The the meeting, Nowak presented three petitions—two with over 700 signatures—urging the town to consider a no-cost partnership with the Shawano County Humane Society. The organization and its volunteers offered to handle stray dogs at no charge, including pickup, shelter, spaying or neutering, vaccination, and adoption services.
“You do not need to kill these animals,” Nowak said. “We are the experts. Let us do our job.”
Proposed in the plan was a local resident, who volunteers to serve as dog catcher under humane guidelines. Supporters emphasized that most stray dogs are not dangerous, but scared and abandoned, and could be safely rescued and rehomed.
Allegations of Abuse and Fear of Retaliation
A somber tone emerged as multiple residents described a culture of fear and retaliation within the town. One woman said she didn’t speak up at a previous meeting because she was afraid her pets would be harmed in retaliation.
“I live across the road,” she said. “My dog, my horses, and my cattle are all within shooting distance. And I’m terrified.”
The woman recounted stories of dogs being dragged, shot, and discarded without a chance at recovery or reunification with their owners. “We stopped trying to get to know the dogs because they wouldn’t last more than a year or two,” she said tearfully.
Another speaker called the current dog control actions “cruelty, not animal control,” and cited CDC data showing there hasn’t been a confirmed case of rabies in a dog in Wisconsin since 2015—countering claims that fear of rabies justifies lethal force.
Broken Trust and a Divided Community
Personal stories revealed a deep divide in the town, with some defending Supervisor Ken Damveld and others accusing him of years of inhumane practices. One speaker, Gina Damveld, identified herself as Ken’s Daughter In-Law, said, “It’s a close family—as long as you don’t ever disagree.” She shared harrowing accounts of dogs being shot instead of helped, claiming attempts to report abuse were ignored or dismissed.
“I hope people standing up for him just don’t know the truth,” she said. “Because if they do, and still support it, that’s heartbreaking.”
Community Demands Accountability
Residents called for clear records of every dog pickup, tracking what happened to the animals, and where taxpayer funds were going. “You shouldn’t be paying for an action when you have no idea what the outcome is,” one said.
As one speaker concluded, “Bring it down to a fifth-grade level—why are we struggling with this? Why won’t you let us help?”
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