Kyle Voissem, 20, a criminal justice major at the University of Illinois at Chicago, was originally charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty for the October 18 incident.
But due to the severity of the burns, charges have been upgraded to a felony, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said today, Friday.
According to prosecutors, the University of Illinois senior was boiling water to make macaroni and cheese for dinner at his home in mid-October when he saw his dog, Byron, urinate on the floor.
He threw the boiling water at the dog, causing severe burns to the animal.
The dog was described in the Anti-Cruelty Society report as a one-and-a-half-year-old mountain cur mix'.
The pet was put up for adoption after treatment for second-degree burns over 50 percent of its body and third-degree burns on its neck.
Cook County prosecutors said today, Friday, that charges were upgraded against a University of Illinois at Chicago student accused of pouring boiling water over his dog last year after the pet urinated on the floor.
Bond was set at $100,000 for Voissem, 20, by Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil on the felony charge of animal cruelty.
Voissem, who is from Wisconsin, was arrested in December and charged then with a misdemeanor after the Anti-Cruelty Society lodged a complaint against him with police.
Byron the dog will turn 2 in March and was adopted in late October, 2011, according to Anti-Cruelty Society spokeswoman Trisha Trinco.
'He is in a new loving home, which is really good,' Trinco said.
Voissem, a UIC senior, was on the school’s gymnastics team, but was suspended and later required to leave the team following his arrest, according to his attorney, Will Fahy.
He has no criminal record.
UIC spokesman Bill Burton confirmed Voissem has not participated in the gymnastics team since the arrest and was dismissed from the team yesterday.
Voissem is still a student, however, Burton said.
A short biography on the school’s website said he is majoring in criminal justice.
(Daily Mail UK - Jan 28, 2012)
