Animal Abuse: Kitten severely burned with chemicals - Meridian, ID

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Case ID: 16504

Classification: Burning - Caustic Substance

Animal: cat

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Kitten severely burned with chemicals
Meridian, ID (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Sep 2, 2010
County: Ada

Disposition: Open

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Police haven't made any arrests of the abusers of two-month-old kitten named Raisin, rescued by a Good Samaritan on Thursday.

But the public is sweetening the deal for anyone willing to come forward with information identifying the teens. The reward is reaching $3,000 -- and growing.

A woman found teenagers in Meridian throwing the kitten around when she intervened. Vets determined that the abusers had poured chemicals on her face, severely burning her eyes and throat. Caretakers report that Raisin is doing better each day.

"We don't know whether or not she's going to be able to see out of her eyes. We just know that she's trying to and she's being more and more attentive every day," said Troy Jackson,CEO of Northwest Animal Companions.

People have been stopping by the NAC thrift store throughout the weekend to make donations.

"I cried. I called my husband and balled my eyes out," said Lisa Lafleur, who donated money, toys, and blankets for the kitten. "I'm hoping that they found the guys who did this. I think that they need some serious psychological help. That is wrong. It is wrong to hurt another living thing."

Raisin is being cared for through Northwest Animal Companions. The no-kill organization says they are managing the kitten's pain with medication. They said they've received a couple phone calls from people criticizing their keeping Raisin alive.

"We're going to make sure she has a pleasant, comfortable existence right now," Jackson said. "She really is fighting. There's a difference between animals who are just totally giving up -- "that's not Raisin."

Case Updates

The Meridian Police Department is talking about a kitten that was reportedly abused, and died Monday night. They say what some called chemical burns from abuse, may have actually been symptoms from a respiratory infection.

Northwest Animal Companions said last week the kitten they were caring for had been abused, kicked, thrown and burned with chemicals in its eyes and throat.

Meridian Police say there is no foundation for the allegations of abuse with chemicals.

Police say two veterinarians diagnosed the kitten named Raisin with an upper respiratory infection and didn't see problems that would result from chemical burning.

Basterrechea is calling the allegations made by the rescue group irresponsible and unwarranted as they created fear in the community.

Troy Jackson, the CEO of Northwest Animal Companions, stands by his staff diagnosing abuse by chemical burning. He says two to four veterinary professionals diagnosed what they believe were chemical burns in the cat's throat.

The cause of Raisin's death is still undetermined. Meridian Police are arranging for a necropsy of the kitten to find out just what did happen.

Investigators interviewed the teenagers suspected of abusing the kitten. They have not been charged, but could still face misdemeanor animal abuse charges.

"Ultimately Raisin didn't have an upper respiratory infection to the best of our knowledge based on what we had learned from the doctors," Jackson said.

Jackson thinks there has been miscommunication with the Meridian Police Department, and he planned to make contact with officers Wednesday night.

"The sad tragedy here is not about what people think who's responsible or irresponsible or unwarranted. A little two month old kitten is not going to have a chance to play on a scratch post, bat around a little toy, cuddle up with kids, it got beat to death and tortured," Jackson said.

"Our big concern here is this has really, really flared up emotions in the community," Basterrechea said. "People are going to the extreme of the two kids involved in this are the future serial killers. Serial killers start out torturing animals. We don't even know this animal was actually tortured yet."

"This kitten was seen by two vets that we know of who both came up with the very similar diagnosis, basically an upper respiratory infection, very common in stray cats," Meridian Police Deputy Chief Tracy Basterrechea said.

Source: KTVB - Sept 9, 2010
Update posted on Sep 9, 2010 - 12:47PM

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Kitten severely burned with chemicalsMeridian, ID (US)

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Kitten severely burned with chemicals
Meridian, ID (US)