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Monster Who Tortured Puppy Doe Sentenced to Up to 10 Years in Prison

One of the most disturbing cases of animal abuse that I’m aware of was that of Puppy Doe, a young Pit Bull who was given away by her original owners when their landlord decided to ban the breed due to high insurance rates.

Puppy Doe, also known as Kiya, eventually ended up with Radoslaw Czerkawski, a Polish national living illegally in the U.S. on an expired work visa. Czerkawski starved the puppy and inflicted upon her what a veterinarian described as medieval-style torture. This monster systematically pulled her joints apart one by one, split her tongue in half, stabbed her in the eye and burned her. When the 95-year-old woman he was living with and a caregiver for died in August 2013, Czerkawski dumped the puppy in a wooded area.

When a good Samaritan found Puppy Doe, she thought the dog had been hit by a car due to the severity of her injuries. Tragically, Puppy Doe had to be euthanized, but during her final hours she was shown what it’s like to be loved by the caring staff of the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

Czerkawski was arrested after Puppy Doe’s blood splatter was found in the elderly woman’s home. His cell phone records indicated he had bought the dog from her second owner via a Craigslist ad. He was charged with 12 counts of animal cruelty, and he was later convicted of a larceny charge for stealing more than $130,000 from the elderly woman.

The animal cruelty trial was originally set for early 2015, but it was repeatedly postponed.

Finally, nearly five years after Puppy Doe’s horrific ordeal, Czerkawski’s trial began earlier this month in Dedham, Mass. And, finally, there is some justice for Puppy Doe: This week the jury found Czerkawski guilty of all 12 counts of animal cruelty.

Although the judge could have sentenced Czerkawski to 55 years in prison, he was sentenced to only eight to 10 years, followed by two years of probation. Also, Czerkawski cannot ever own, care for, or come in contact with any animal, or volunteer where animals are present.

Czerkawski is already serving time for the larceny charge, so he could be out of prison in just a few years. Still, the Animal Rescue League of Boston called the sentencing “a historic day for animal welfare in Massachusetts.”

“With the conviction and sentencing of Radoslaw Czerkawski, it has been demonstrated that people who commit animal cruelty, and in this case extreme cruelty, will be held accountable,” it stated on its Facebook page. “Ironically Puppy Doe’s short and tragic life was the impetus for stronger laws protecting all animals in the Commonwealth–and there’s still more work to do.”

Thanks to poor Puppy Doe, animal cruelty laws have been strengthened in Massachusetts since Czerkawski was arrested back in 2013. The maximum sentence for a first offense, which used to be five years, increased to seven years. Subsequent offenses have a maximum sentence of 10 years. The fines were raised from $2,500 for a first offense to $5,000, and up to $10,000 for subsequent offenses.

While eight to 10 years doesn’t seem like nearly long enough for what that despicable monster did to Puppy Doe, at least her case will hopefully prevent other animals from suffering so much cruelty.

Rest in peace, Kiya.

Photo: Animal Rescue League of Boston

HOORAY: Pennsylvania’s Animal Cruelty Laws Just Got a Whole Lot Tougher

Almost a year after an emaciated, mange-ridden Boston Terrier puppy was rescued after he was abandoned on a Pennsylvania breeding farm, animal cruelty laws in the state are getting a whole lot tougher.

Today Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law HB 1238, which is considered to be the most significant anti-animal cruelty legislation for Pennsylvania in the last 30 years. It includes Libre’s Law, which was inspired by the abandoned puppy, who was later named Libre because he was rescued on the Fourth of July. (Libre put his pawprint on the legislation during this afternoon’s signing ceremony!)

Until now, Pennsylvania had some of the weakest animal cruelty laws in the country. Benjamin S. Stoltzfus, the owner of the breeding farm, initially faced no animal cruelty charges even though he’d intentionally left Libre to die a horrible death all alone. He was eventually charged with a summary count of animal cruelty and only had to pay a $905 fine — basically just a slap on the hand.

Those days have fortunately come to a well-deserved end. The new laws, which go into effect in 60 days, will increase the penalties for those who abuse or neglect animals in the state. It creates a new classification for offenders who cause the death or serious bodily injury of an animal. Those offenders could face third-degree felony charges.

The comprehensive package also includes the following new legislation:

Cordelia’s Law, named after a starved horse, would put penalties for animal cruelty crimes against horses on par with those for crimes against dogs and cats. It also provides protections for guide dogs.
A law prohibiting pets from being tethered outside all the time or in foul weather.
A law requiring those convicted of animal abuse to surrender their pets.
Civil immunity provided for veterinarians, veterinary technicians and humane society police officers to prevent frivolous lawsuits against them when they report animal cruelty in good faith.

It’s been a year in the making, but just as little Libre refused to give up, supporters of the bill named in his honor didn’t, either. Congratulations and my deepest gratitude to everyone who worked so hard to make Pennsylvania a safer place for animals.

To find out more about Libre and the wonderful people who helped get this law passed, please check out these stories:

Photo: governor.pa.gov

Puppy Doe’s Legacy: Tougher Animal Cruelty Laws in Massachusetts

UPDATE: In March 2018, Radoslaw Czerkawski was found guilty of all 12 charges of animal cruelty and sentenced to eight to 10 years in prison.

One of the most horrific and disturbing animal abuse cases I’ve ever written about was that of Kiya, a young Pit Bull better known as Puppy Doe.

Kiya’s original owners had given her away via a Craigslist ad when their landlord decided to ban Pit Bulls due to high insurance rates. She eventually ended up with Radoslaw Czerkawski, who starved her and inflicted what the Boston Herald called “medieval-style torture” on the helpless dog — he systematically pulled her limbs apart, split her tongue in half, stabbed her in the eye and burned her.

Czerkawski, a Polish national living in the U.S. on an expired work visa, was the live-in caretaker for an elderly woman with dementia in Quincy, Mass. When the woman died in late August 2013, Czerkawski dumped Kiya in a nearby wooded area. She was discovered there by someone who thought she’d been hit by a car — her injuries were that severe.

This was “unquestionably … hands down” the worst case of animal cruelty she’d ever witnessed, Dr. Martha Smith-Blackmore, vice president of animal welfare at the Animal Rescue League of Boston, told the Boston Herald.

“When I saw how vulnerable she was and I understood immediately the duration of her suffering, my heart collapsed,” she said.

Kiya’s injuries were so extreme that she had to be euthanized. But first she was treated to a feast and lots of loving attention from Smith-Blackmore and her staff.

“Within hours of being found she had pain medication, food and love,” Smith-Blackmore told the Herald. “She experienced some tenderness and some care at the end of her life.”

Two months later, Czerkawski was arrested after Kiya’s blood splatter was found in the elderly woman’s home. His cell phone records indicated he had bought Kiya from her second owner via a Craigslist ad.

Czerkawski was charged with 12 counts of animal cruelty. He was also slapped with a larceny charge for stealing more than $100,000 from the elderly woman.

A trial date for the animal cruelty charges will be set Nov. 7, the Boston Herald reported today.

In the meantime, “Puppy Doe’s” tragic ordeal has led to legislation for tougher animal cruelty laws in Massachusetts.

Governor Deval Patrick is expected to sign a bill that will increase prison sentences and fines for animal abusers; require veterinarians to report suspected animal abuse to authorities; and create a task force that will review how the state handles animal abuse cases.

The maximum sentence for a first offense, which is currently five years, will increase to seven years. Subsequent offenses would have a maximum sentence of 10 years. The fines will be raised from $2,500 for a first offense to $5,000, and up to $10,000 for subsequent offenses.

“These are felonies, these are very serious crimes, and I think the penalties should reflect that,” Mary Nee, president of the Animal Rescue League of Boston, told the Boston Globe.

Until the bill was created, “animal rescue and welfare organizations were steadily working to chip away at animal cruelty in the state, largely unnoticed,” Rob Halpin, spokesman for MSPCA-Angell, told the Globe.

“It’s almost like we’re in this period in animal cruelty that’s ‘before Puppy Doe’ and ‘after Puppy Doe,’” he said. “Puppy Doe made a large and permanent crack in the status quo.”

Photo via Facebook