Puppy Doe | STOP ANIMAL ABUSE

Proposed Sale Of ‘Puppy Doe’ Figurine Upsets Animal Activists

January 11, 2014

Monday, January 6, 2014 11:32 PM EST -By LISA BACKUS STAFF WRITER

The proposed sale of a figurine of “Puppy Doe,” a young pit bull mix who Massachusetts authorities say was tortured by a man later found in a New Britain hotel room is drawing the ire of animal welfare advocates.

Puppy Doe, a pit bull that faced horrifically brutal torture, had to be euthanized because of her injuries. Police are now searching for her abuser. | Animal Rescue League of Boston

The Puppy Doe case drew national media attention after the severely injured dog was found in Quincy, Mass. and had to be put to sleep due to the torture that was inflicted on the young female dog named Kiya by one of her former owners. Radoslaw Czerkawski, 32, of Quincy, Mass, pleaded not guilty in December to 12 counts of animal cruelty, and one count of misleading a police investigation in the case after he was found in a New Britain hotel room in October.

Czerkawski is also wanted for larcenies involving a New Bedford, Mass church. He is currently being held without bail as a flight risk, according to the Norfolk State’s Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts which is prosecuting the Puppy Doe case.

Herobuilders, an Oxford, Connecticut-based action figure company owned by Emil Vicale, announced Sunday they would be producing a figurine of the dog estimated to be one to two years old at the time of her death with 10 percent of the proceeds going to animal welfare groups. “I heard about the story and thought it would be a good thing,” Vicale said Monday. “I wanted to make a donation in Puppy Doe’s name.”

But animal welfare advocates who have been raising money in the dog’s name and staging peaceful protests outside the Norfolk courthouse when Czerkawski appears are appalled at the idea, said Deanna Terminiello of Leominster, Mass. “I was shocked,” Terminiello said when she saw Facebook posts promoting the product. “To see that made me sick that someone is trying to make a profit off of a dog that was tortured.”Several other animal welfare advocates also posted similar comments on Terminiello’s Facebook page, “The Truth About The Puppy Doe Vigil,” which has close to 300 members.

The figurines which will go into production this week can be purchased for $29.95. Vicale, who will only produce 2,000 of the resin statues, will donate 10 percent of the profits between the Animal Rescue League of Boston, which is involved in the Puppy Doe case, and the national ASPCA.

Vicale said he expects to make about $10 per figurine after he donates $3 per figurine to the two animal welfare groups. “We are not a charitable organization but we are trying to do something good,” Vicale said. A spokesperson for the Animal Rescue League of Boston said they had not been notified by Homebuilders of the potential donation but confirmed they had received other donations in the name of Puppy Doe. “If someone wants to give to the Animal Rescue League of Boston we recommend that they give directly to our organization,” said Ami Bowers, director of marketing for the group.“They could be giving us the proceeds but at this point we don’t know because we haven’t heard from them.”

A spokesperson for the Connecticut state Humane Society of the United States which offers rewards in animal abuse cases and help in prosecuting animal cruelty cases applauded the sale of the figurines. “It does seem like a well intentioned effort to raise awareness and help fund groups that support animal welfare,” said Ami Hornish, the director of the Connecticut chapter of the HSUS.

But Terminiello, who along with others helped raise $2,500 to donate to the Quincy animal shelter after the dog’s death and who attended a protest in December at the courthouse called the sale of the figurines “sickening.” “This is not about fame, it’s not about fortune,” she said. “Anyone who would profit off this dog is unimaginable.” David Traub, a spokesperson for the Norfolk State’s Attorney’s Office said Czerkawski is due back in court Feb. 11.

News Link:-http://www.newbritainherald.com/articles/2014/01/06/news/doc52cb810414b5f378122785.txt

Facebook Group:–https://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-for-Puppy-Doe/730535090297199

Facebook Related:-Reflections on Puppy Doe, Animal Cruelty, and Freezing for a Cause:– http://southend.patch.com/groups/announcements/p/reflections-on-puppy-doe-animal-cruelty-and-freezing-for-a-cause?a_dgi=aolshare_facebook

Petitions:–

22/11/213 UPDATE by Kiri Blakeley :-

Puppy Tortured to Death Finally Gets Justice She Deserves

Radoslaw Czerkawski. He is charged with 12 counts of animal abuse, remains behind bars on $500,000 bond, and faces 55 years in prison. Czerkawski had gotten Doe for $40 on Craiglist.

Never, EVER give away an animal for free! And if you’re going to sell it or ask for a donation, thoroughly investigate who you are giving an animal to. Check vet references and visit their home. (Czerkawski lied and said he had a farm in Connecticut. Asking to visit the farm that he did not have would have immediately kept the puppy out of his hands.)Czerkawski is also accused of stealing checks from a church and misleading police.

Police are confident Czerkawski is their man — they say they found Puppy Doe’s blood on his apartment floor. Disgusting! This “man” deserves everything he gets and more.It’s about time that animal killers and abusers get hard time for their crimes. If Czerkawski gets the max, he won’t be out until he’s almost 90 — if he makes it out at all.Through it all, vets say that Puppy Doe, despite what she’d been through, was loving and friendly to all. Can you imagine? Animals are certainly better than humans in a lot of ways, and anyone who takes advantage of that doesn’t deserve freedom.

Above Snippet From News Link:–http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/164591/puppy_tortured_to_death_finally

“WTF…what sort of Evil walk amongst us? It could be a next door neighbour, these people don’t advertise their perverse activities! This may be the first, or one of many cases that this sick pathological psychopath may have carried out! Who knows how many more may have been grotesquely tortured & just not found! Sick bastards like this, soon tire of torturing the same living being. God forbid this person hasn’t played out these perverse actions on a child yet!! It may or may not be the first attack, but I doubt it will be the last! I know many people don’t want to get involved etc. but there is such a thing as anonymity…so come on guy’s; these animals rely on the kindness & voices of others to save them!!”

The Huffington Post | By Cavan Sieczkowski Posted: 09/23/2013 12:16 pm DT | Updated: 09/23/2013 2:01 pm EDT

Internet users have united to get justice for a dog so brutally tortured that she had to be euthanized.

Puppy Doe, a pit bull that faced horrifically brutal torture, had to be euthanized because of her injuries. Police are now searching for her abuser. | Animal Rescue League of Boston

On Aug. 31, a female pit bull was found on Carrolls Lane in Quincy, Mass., near a playground, according to Boston’s Animal Rescue League, or ARL. The dog, who was likely 1 to 2 years old, weighed half what she should have. She had suffered starvation and abuse “sadistic” in nature, including stabbings to the eye and a sliced tongue. Her injuries were so severe that she had to be euthanized.

Veterinarians working on the animal, named Puppy Doe, were sickened by her state.

“They’re a freak, a total freak,” Dr. Martha Smith-Blackmore, who performed the autopsy on the tortured pup, told Boston’s WBZ of the alleged abuser. “Splitting her tongue, burning her nose, stabbing her eye, it’s the totality of the types of injuries. Not only was she beaten, she was stabbed [and] she was burned. It’s all kinds of injures. It’s a sick mind that can do this to an animal.”

The Quincy Police Department and animal rescue groups are asking for help. The ARL is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the prosecution of the perpetrator. Animal groups Misty’s Journey and Second Chance Rescue NYC have already raised more than $11,000 on YouCaring.com toward a reward for information provided.

A Facebook group titled “Justice for Puppy Doe” already has more than 25,000 likes and has attracted support from as far away as Brazil.

“We need anyone who knows who owned and abused this dog to contact authorities,” District Attorney Morrissey said, via the ARL. “The injuries cataloged in the post-mortem examination are grotesque and indicate consistent starvation and abuse over an extended period of time. It is highly unlikely that this level of sadistic cruelty could be shown to one animal and not be part of a pattern involving other animals or perhaps vulnerable people. We need to find the person who did this and see what else they are doing.”

Meanwhile, the dog’s alleged original owner, Laura Hankins, has come forward. Hankins told the Boston Herald she and her boyfriend bought the pit bull mix last December for $200 on Craigslist. But her landlord eventually told her the dog had to go. So, she put the dog back on Craigslist.

She gave the animal to a woman from Grafton who “seemed wonderful,” according to the Herald. The new owner sent updates, but those stopped in July.

The Puppy Doe case has reignited the fight against free pets on Craigslist, a practice that has been linked to abuse and death. A Change.org petition set up in memoriam of Puppy Doe demands Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster end the practice.

Via Change.org:

It’s beyond words that this sweet, innocent dog, that once knew love had to suffer this violent, evil fate, but at the very least, if … “giving away” of pets was banned on Craligslist there would be a small amount of justice in her name.

The petition has nearly 20,000 signatures.

As of Saturday, police were following up on six specific tips, according to the Herald. The Patriot Ledger reports that a memorial has been set up for Puppy Doe along a fence at the playground near where she was found.

Anyone with information, is asked to contact the Animal Rescue League at 617-226-5610 or Quincy Police Det. Thomas Pepdjonovich at 617-745-5774.

News Link:–http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/23/puppy-doe-tortured-craigslist_n_3975506.html

Petition Link:–https://www.change.org/petitions/justice-for-puppy-doe-tell-craigslist-to-help-stop-violence-against-pets/sponsors/new?aftersign=true