Resident group urges sheriff to block steer‑tailing event at 18316 Kishwaukee Valley Road

A representative of Showing Animals Respect and Kindness told the McHenry County Board on Sept. 25 that an event scheduled this weekend at 18316 Kishwaukee Valley Road in Woodstock is being advertised online despite a one‑year ban on the property, and urged the sheriff’s office to deny entry.

“My name is Jody Whitaker, and I am representing Showing Animals Respect and Kindness or SHARK for short,” Whitaker told the board during the meeting’s public‑comment period. She said the advertised ticket price is $50 and gave a revenue example: “So if 100 people go, that's $5,000.”

Whitaker described injuries and alleged illegal treatment at past events, citing two incidents: July 12, when she said animals were handled without permits and “animals were shot with 10,000 volts of electricity,” and Aug. 16, when she said one steer’s front leg was broken and four steers had their tails “de‑gloved.” She said a memo placed a one‑year ban on the Woodstock property but that tickets were still on sale on Eventbrite.

Whitaker also said she had spoken with a local veterinarian, Dr. Rachel Kane of Woodstock, who “told me she was at the event on August 16” and told Whitaker she went “to treat equines” and “was not there to treat bovines,” a point Whitaker used to argue that any required veterinarian must be able to treat bovines as well as equines.

County Board Member Terry Greeno responded during the public‑comment segment, saying the full board had previously taken a position that such events should not occur in McHenry County and urging enforcement. “These events also bring in possibly unvaccinated animals, which then can spread disease to our animals, our herds,” Greeno said.

Chairman Bueller declined to discuss any pending investigations in public, saying the county’s policy is not to speak about possible investigations in an open meeting and offering to speak with Whitaker outside the boardroom. No formal board action or vote was reported on the matter during the meeting.

The board transcript records Whitaker naming an applicant she identified as “Mister Wallen” and saying he told her the organizers had been informed of the ban but were nonetheless selling tickets. Whitaker asked specifically that the sheriff’s office go to the property on Sunday and prevent public entry if the event proceeds.

The county did not announce a enforcement action on the record at the meeting. The board moved on to new business after the public‑comment period.

Notes: The transcript references a one‑year ban and “ordinances are already in place,” but it does not cite specific ordinance numbers. The sheriff’s office and county administration were discussed but took no public enforcement action on the record at this meeting.