NEWTON, Iowa — Cute as a kitten with a name that fits his personality, “He’s definitely a little fire cracker and keeps us on our toes. He’s going to come through this. We have named the kitten Firecracker,” said Jasper County Animal Rescue League Director Rachel Long.
The three-month old’s name is also a reminder of what he has survived. Rachel said, “Oh it breaks my heart.”
Early Monday evening the Jasper County ARL received an emergency phone call from animal control. “He called me back and said there was something very wrong with its jaw and its mouth. It had some pretty severe trauma,” said Rachel.
Picked up near Kellogg the kitten was rushed to newton’s Parkview Animal Hospital. Rachel said, “It appears as though something had exploded in the kittens face more than likely some type of firecracker or firework.”
The kitten pulled through surgery, but not without traumatic injuries. “A broken jaw and the skin on the bottom of the jaw is peeled down and back away from the jaw itself so we had to get that back up and the teeth are missing on the lower portion of the jaw as well,” said Rachel.
In rural areas outside of Newton, like Kellogg, fireworks are legal from June 1st through July 8th between 9 am and 10 pm but Rachel says clearly not in this manner “If you are doing it intentionally shame on you because these animals deserve something so much better.”
As Firecracker heals, the Jasper County ARL says the vital medical expenses could also hurt. “This goes above and beyond what our budget allows for. So to provide what these guys need we definitely rely on donations of our followers,” said Rachel.
Followers who, in about a month, could enjoy a furry firecracker all year round. Rachel said, “We are going to get him heading on the right track and maybe get him in a foster home to continue to recover in.”
The Jasper County ARL says nobody has called in to say this was an accident. If suspects are found, Rachel says they could face animal neglect charges which would be a serious misdemeanor.
