Img source is a variable, the URL gets encoded

I have a hash that describes a Jira issue. In that hash I have the target user's avatar URL.

I am trying to make a cell with "Jane Doe " but when the code runs the URL is getting changed.

http://ift.tt/1DVe0kz

turns into

http://ift.tt/1Db7H6M

As you can see, the special characters become encoded and so the image is not found. How do you get around this?