March 29, 2024

Firework injury suspected for 3-month-old kitten

While fireworks are a fun way to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday, if used improperly, they can also cause damage and hurt both people and animals. That is suspected to be the case with a 3-month-old kitten brought into the Jasper County Animal Rescue League with substantial injuries to the face and jaw.

“He got hurt pretty bad,” JCARL Director Rachel Long said.

Firecracker, the aptly given name to the yellow colored kitten, was found in the country between Newton and Kellogg by a local family, scared and injured. It even managed to escape before being coaxed out from under a porch where it was hiding.

“When he got here, my animal control officer called and said there is something just not right with his face and his jaw, he is definitely injured,” Long said. “We brought him in, got a good look at him and brought him to Parkview Animal Hospital in Newton for medical care. They called and said he has a broken jaw, so it is broke right in the middle of the lower jaw. It has been wired now, there is a wire holding those two pieces together.”

Long said there is also a suture in the front of the kitten’s mouth because the skin on the lower part of the chin had been peeled back and down.

Even with the serious injuries the kitten sustained, his recovery is going really well. He is eating and drinking well and enjoys snuggling on a warming disc in his pen.

“Everything that we are concerned about so far seems to be going OK for him,” Long said.

Overall, Long said she is just disappointed someone didn’t report the animal if they knew he was injured.

“There is no real way to know for sure (if it was intentional), my philosophy on it is, though, if it was an accident, call us and say it is an accident,” Long said. “Don’t leave the kitten out injured without receiving medical care. That is not fair for the animal and makes the person look twice as bad if it was just an accident.”

As for caring for other pets during the Fourth of July holiday, Long has a few tips to keeping them safe.

“Keep your pets inside, keep track of them, make sure they are wearing collars and tags, if your pets are microchipped, keep them up to date so that if something did happen with them, we can help locate you and help get them back home to you,” Long said. “We see a record number of animals that get loose on the Fourth of July so doing your part to advocate for your pets and keep them safe is very important.”

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com