Illinois teen accused of slashing puppy’s throat to be tried as adult

A teenager accused of slashing a puppy’s throat will be tried as an adult.

The 17-year-old was charged with aggravated animal cruelty and animal torture after police in Kewanee found the puppy at the entrance of an apartment complex with lacerations on its neck in July.

The puppy had apparently been attacked about 12 to 24 hours before it was found, according to WQAD news. It was approximately six weeks old, and was covered with maggots and fleas.

News reports said the teen is accused of using a box cutter to slash the puppy’s neck.

The teenager was originally charged in the juvenile system, but Thursday, a Henry County judge ruled that he would be tried as an adult. Local residents had begun a petition for the teenager, who was not named by local media, to be charged as an adult. The online petition gathered more than 62,000 signatures.

The puppy was taken to a nearby veterinarian, who was able to save its life. The puppy was subsequently named “Thor,” recognizing his strength in recovering from his wounds.

The Henry County Humane Society of Kewanee is funding Thor’s vet bills. Meanwhile, the Kewanee community deluged the Humane Society with calls and more than $7,000 in donations. After Thor’s vet bills were paid, the shelter workers said the rest would go into “the Thor Fund” to provide care for other animals that were neglected or abused.

In August, Thor made a tour of the Kewanee community so the people who had supported the dog’s rescue could meet him, according to news reports. When the teenager had his first court appearance in August, dozens of protesters gathered outside the courthouse to call for “Justice for Thor.”

This story was originally published October 26, 2017 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Illinois teen accused of slashing puppy’s throat to be tried as adult."