Two charged with marketing pierced ’gothic kittens’
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM
Associated Press Writer
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania dog groomer thought she had come up with the perfect sideline for her business: Piercing kittens’ ears and necks and marketing them as “gothic” over the Internet.
Holly Crawford, 34, says she didn’t think she was doing anything wrong when she decided to pierce her black kittens and attempt to sell them for hundreds of dollars apiece.
Humane officers disagreed, charging her this week with cruelty and conspiracy in a case that has sparked outrage among animal lovers.
In her first interview since the case came to light last month, Crawford said 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 outside Wilkes-Barre. “They were definitely loved, well fed, no fleas, clipped nails. And they were happy.”
Daphna Nachminovitch, a vice president with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, ridiculed Crawford’s contention that piercing is a harmless practice.
“It’s barbaric,” she said. “There’s no excuse for inflicting such pain on an animal that’s the size of your palm.”
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Luzerne County raided Crawford’s home last month after getting a tip from PETA that she was marketing the pierced kittens on the Internet. 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.
Morrison charged Crawford on Tuesday with three misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, three summary counts of cruelty, and three counts of conspiracy. Crawford plans to plead innocent.
Also charged was William Blansett, 37, of Sweet Valley. Crawford said Blansett helped her take calls about the kittens but that he had nothing to do with the piercings. A number for Blansett could not be located.
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.
“I really thought he looked cute,” she said. So she got two other black kittens and pierced them, too.
She said she docked Snarley Monster’s tail because it was badly damaged.
“That one was my daughter’s cat. That one was never going to be sold,” she said.
Crawford said her dog-grooming business, Pawside Parlor, has plummeted since the Dec. 17 raid. She’s also received dozens of nasty phone calls.
“My name’s ruined, my reputation’s ruined, my business is ruined,” she said.
Moral of the story: Don't pierce your pussy. Piercing your pussy's bad, m'kay.
r:>)
Last edited by BDR on Friday Jan 23, 2009, edited 1 time in total.
Awwww...look at the cute little goth kids. They're gonna find that little one smushed in the folds of the he/she's crevices if he trys to get jiggy wit it.
If I can't get respect, I'll take fear... or Skittles.
I tend to think of cropping and docking like a circumcision. Is it necessary? Not really. Were you given a choice in the matter? Nope. Many breeders and kennel clubs are opting not to dock or crop because it's unnecessary and doesn't add or detract from the breed. Wouldn't you have liked someone to have been the voice for YOUR forskin?
If I can't get respect, I'll take fear... or Skittles.
My son ask about a year or so ago what it meant to be circumcised.
I told him (Part of that "Better he hears it here than elsewhere" parenting
policy that leads to A LOT of uncomfortable, albeit necessary, discussions)
and he said "Ew. Who would do that to someone?". I told him, in fact, HE
had it done the day after he was born. He was horrified (He makes GREAT
shocked and horrified faces). He said "You let them do WHAT!? WHAT IS
THE MATTER WITH YOU!?!?!".
I LOVE being a parent.
DaveP.
"You must be this beautiful to ride the Quagmire."
Since when is ICP Goth?
I think of Siouxsie Sioux or Robert Smith or The guys in Lords Of The New Church.
But in all accounts,Goth Is Gay
And by the way,the woman who pierces animals seriously needs her ass kicked.
That is just plain WRONG!!!
Disclaimer: Most of the human race are extremely stupid and that's a fact!!!!!!
VENTGtr wrote:My son ask about a year or so ago what it meant to be circumcised.
I told him (Part of that "Better he hears it here than elsewhere" parenting
policy that leads to A LOT of uncomfortable, albeit necessary, discussions)
and he said "Ew. Who would do that to someone?". I told him, in fact, HE
had it done the day after he was born. He was horrified (He makes GREAT
shocked and horrified faces). He said "You let them do WHAT!? WHAT IS
THE MATTER WITH YOU!?!?!".
I LOVE being a parent.
Classic.
Now tell him it makes his weenie look bigger, and where fromunda cheese comes from. He'll think you're the best dad in the world. --->JMS
Shiny and distracting.
