Hero kids rewarded for saving abused puppy

HENRY COUNTY, Ill. -- (KXAN) -- The Henry County Humane Society in Kewanee presented reward checks totaling $250 to the four children who first found Thor and the woman who then called police.

A 17-year-old, who confessed to inflicting the injuries, has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty. A 6-week-old puppy was found with deep cuts in its neck and officials say it's one of the worst cases of animal abuse they've seen.

The puppy, Thor, has received 22 sutures, which will need to stay in for 14 days. He has been discharged from the vet clinic and is now in the care of a foster home at an undisclosed location.

The shelter is still counting donations that have come in in response to his injuries, but it has totaled at least $2,000

The dog was found at the Lakeland Terrance apartment complex and is thought to have been there for at least 24 hours.

“I've seen where other dogs can do a dog fight but this was not a dog fight,” Henry County Humane Society director Kellie Wallace said. “This was somebody intentionally inflicting pain on this little baby.”

The puppy is expected to make a full recovery but has a long road ahead of him.

Chris Ryan, a vet at the Kewanee Veterinary Clinic, said this was not an accident.

“This is not something you expect to see or something I've ever seen before. We see cuts from accidents and injuries, things that aren't on purpose but this doesn't look like that.”