Piercing Kittens.."Gothic" Kittens - Paw Talk

luvnature · #1 01-23-2009, 06:25 PM

Cruelty-for-Pi=1&blockID=193925&feedID=1080" target="_blank">http://www.ktla.com/content_landing_...25&feedID=1080

In the news today...Gothic Kittens.

Woman Charged With Animal Cruelty for Piercing Kittens

Associated Press
January 23, 2009

ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- A woman who marketed "gothic kittens" with ear, neck and tail piercings over the Internet has been charged with animal cruelty and conspiracy.

Dog groomer Holly Crawford, 34, was charged Tuesday by humane officers.

Her home outside Wilkes-Barre was raided Dec. 17 after the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Luzerne County received a tip from PETA that she was marketing the animals online for hundreds of dollars.

Crawford has said she will plead innocent.

Crawford told The Associated Press on Thursday that she didn't see any difference between piercing a cat and piercing a human.

She said she used sterile needles and surgical soap and that she checked the kittens several times a day to make sure they were healing properly.

"When I did it, it wasn't with any cruel intentions," said Crawford, of rural Ross Township. "They were definitely loved, well-fed, no fleas, clipped nails. And they were happy."

Daphna Nachminovitch, a vice president for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, called the piercings "barbaric."
"There's no excuse for inflicting such pain on an animal that's the size of your palm," she said.

SPCA Officer Carol Morrison said the kittens had 14-gauge piercings through their ears and submission rings at the napes of their necks.

One kitten's tail was docked.

Crawford, who sports her own body piercings, said she decided on a whim to pierce the ears and neck of a stray kitten she took in last fall and named Snarley Monster.

She said she docked the cat's tail because it was badly damaged and that the animal was not intended for sale.
Morrison charged Crawford and William Blansett, 37, of Sweet Valley, each with three misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, three summary counts of cruelty and three counts of conspiracy.

Crawford said Blansett helped take calls about the kittens but that he had nothing to do with the piercings.
A number for Blansett could not be located.

Crawford said her dog-grooming business, Pawside Parlor, has plummeted since the raid and that she has received dozens of nasty phone calls.

"My name's ruined, my reputation's ruined, my business is ruined," she said.

Below...two comments.

WT???
Are people just going flippin mad? Gothic kittens?? Who the heck needs a pierced kitten. This lady is a sicko!!
Posted by TAL at 12:31 pm Jan 23, 2009

but its ok for babies...
if shes being charged, then i think parents who pierce their babies ears should be charged with child abuse.
Posted by .shell. at 11:55 am Jan 23, 2009

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what are your thoughts about it...is it right, wrong, not sure

Angelnstuff · #2 01-23-2009, 06:50 PM

I think it's wrong, im thinking mostly of the chances that it will end up getting pulled out while they scratch or something. Ive heard stories about people doing this with dogs before, never with kittens, either way i think its wrong. But i have to say i also kinda agree with the last comment, why is it ok for people to get there newborn babies ears pierced? It kinda seems the same to me. Alot of people say that babies wont remember it or it wont hurt.. but have you ever watched a baby get theres done? we were in a store last summer when they did one, and David said he heard the baby scream from the other end of the store. it was horrible.

Kendalle · #3 01-23-2009, 07:05 PM

I put i'm not sure. I don't agree with it, however, it is ok to pierce babies, and besides, no one charges farmers with animal cruelity for piercing tags through the ears cows, sheep, goats, and so on... or branding horses or cattle and they don't use the most sterile of needles. they don't use needles, its a tag on a hole punch basicly

However neck piercings?

luvnature · #4 01-23-2009, 07:13 PM

what bothers me a lot about this also is that they say she was marketing the animals online for hundreds of dollars.

Here is a link with a pic and a link to other pics http://www.nationalledger.com/ledger...72624274.shtml

Here is the actual internet ad ------------> http://www.freeadscity.com/44841.html
advertised as “pure black, tailless, pierced, gothic kitten.”

VanillaRat · #5 01-23-2009, 07:26 PM

I love piercings!
BUT...not when it is done to a baby or an animal.
I fully believe nobody that cannot take care of the healing process themselves,should get pierced...anywhere!

VanillaRat · #6 01-23-2009, 07:28 PM

And charging hundreds of dollars for a kitten with holes punched in it...not cool.

Kendalle · #7 01-23-2009, 08:36 PM

aw its little ears are bent it looks sad

geegeorge · #8 01-23-2009, 09:06 PM

what a stupid rediculous idea

Jess · #9 01-23-2009, 09:19 PM

Thats really piontless....
But it just made me think- Like Kendalle said, they pierce and brand farm animals, and they dock the ears and tails of lots of dogs. On a TV show, I saw them cut the tails and ears off of sheep with just a knife. Why is this any different than a kitten being peirced? Not very many people seem to care about the farm animals, even though its the same thing.
I gues the piercings and whatnot on the farm animals have more of a purpose though...

Kendalle · #10 01-23-2009, 09:50 PM

not really, the docking of tails of sheep at least, it makes them maybe a touch cleaner but it makes the price lower to sell on most breeds of sheep.

they also burn horns on cows and goats so they don't grow

canadiancritter · #11 01-23-2009, 10:11 PM

I put its wrong.

Why would someone pierce a little tiny kitten?
Cats and kittens jump all over the place I would worry about the piecing getting caught on something and ripping out.

Ravnos · #12 01-23-2009, 10:23 PM

Humanity has a long history of modifying animals to suit its purposes, or our whims for that matter. I don't think it is any more cruel than a dog breed that has been bred so heavily for the smashed in face look that it can barely breathe anymore. It's no different than tail docking, debarking, teeth filing, declawing, branding, tattooing, ear tagging, and a hundred other things we do to animals because we feel the urge to. At what point does something simply become hypocrisy?

LuvPets · #13 01-24-2009, 08:57 AM

I think this is outragous! Like most everyone above me, it could get ripped out! Also, I don't agree with piercing a baby's ears either. I think you should be able to make the decision on your own to have holes put in your body! When my daughter was in daycare, there was a 3-yr old whose mother owned a tatoo parlor. She actually put a real tatoo on her THREE YEAR OLD!! I was appalled! That is permenant and the child didn't even have a say in it!

But, yeah, about the farm animals...why do people tend to forget that they are animals too, with real feelings. It's sad the things that are done to animals and people who cannont defend themselves in a fair manner.

Tinkerbell19 · #14 01-24-2009, 10:10 AM

That is disgusting... there is no need in it at all!!
What also makes it worse if people were actually buying these poor kittens... she would then pierce more of them as she knew she could get money from people.. i think its disgraceful the poor kittys!

swedishfish · #15 01-24-2009, 12:46 PM

i would never do it but i dont think the lady should be charged of animal cruelty for it. there is a lot more bad things people do than giving a kitten peircings. i think never paying attention to a kitten (but giving it foods and water) is more cruel than piercing a kitten but giving it alot of attentons. but selling it bothers me because 1. if you want a peirced kitten that much why pay all thet money why not peirce it yourself(im not saying this is a good thing to do im just saying why it dont make sense) and 2. if shes just peircing it to sell and get money then thats messed up.