Toledo boy’s concern for abused kitty earns Humane Hero award
Published: July 24, 2005
Six-year-old Joey Krasniewski was as bashful as any child his age when TV crews arrived outside his West Toledo home yesterday and reporters peppered him with questions about how he saved an abused kitten on June 29.
What made this case particularly heartwarming was that it was discovered in time for a happy ending.
The Toledo Area Humane Society said it investigates nearly 2,000 cases of animal abuse each year.
Many cases are discovered too late, said Jeremiah Larson, an animal cruelty investigator for the humane society.
The fuzzy little black-haired female was first seen mewing in late June in a West Toledo treetop near Joey’s home at 4155 Mayfield Drive.
Joey kept his eye on it. Scared and terrified, the kitten spent a couple of days in the tree before it came down. It had been abused in such a way that it couldn’t reciprocate by keeping an eye on Joey.
Somebody had glued together the kitten’s eyes and rectum.
An empty tube of glue that was believed to have been used was found nearby, Joey’s mother, Sharon May, said.
“It looked like it couldn’t see nothing at all,” Joey said. “I just thought it was really, really horrible. I wish I knew who it was so they could be punished.”
Joey gave the kitten to his parents who, in turn, gave it to the humane society. The organization’s veterinarian was able to sedate the kitten, remove the glue, and put it up for adoption.
“They’re God’s creatures. Nobody should ever hurt them,”
Joey told reporters.
Joey’s family wasn’t able to adopt the kitten because of a family dog that doesn’t take well to cats.
But Northwood resident Terri Guidera’s family adopted the kitten and named it Peepers.
Ms. Guidera described it as a “sweet, docile” kitten which has bonded particularly well with her family’s pug, Josie. The Guideras also have two older cats.
Yesterday was a reunion of sorts at Joey’s house, with the humane society presenting the boy its Humane Hero award and the Guideras presenting him with a certificate for a $50 savings bond.
Susan Maxwell, spokesman for the humane society, said the perpetrator “is a person who needs help” and that the abuse was “repulsive.” Animal abuse is often a precursor to abuse of humans or a response to existing abuse, she said.
Joey enters first grade at Whittier Elementary School. Ms. May and his father, Jeff Krasniewski, said they are proud of him.
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