Demonstrators show up to denounce Bruner's alleged animal abuse

SHALIMAR — Sign toting demonstrators rallied in front of the county courthouse annex Monday, advocating for Joe Bruner to go to jail for animal abuse.

It was their second trip to the annex in pursuit of the former owner of Big Kahuna’s water park, and the second time Bruner was a no show.

A motion filed by Bruner’s attorney, Don Dewrell, to get off the Bruner case, was granted before court started at 9 a.m., so the parties involved were not required to attend.

Bruner, 56, is charged with using an animal to fight or bait another animal and felony battery with a prior conviction.

A surveillance video from Bruner Middle School in April 2008 caught a suspect believed to be Bruner taunt his dogs with a cat before placing the cat on the ground for the dogs to chase. The cat was found dead the next morning on school grounds.

Bruner is scheduled for trial on the charge Jan. 19.