PA pet groomer and "gothic kittens"

This is sick...

Pa. pet groomer charged with piercing kittens
13 hours ago
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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.

Disgusting. The difference between piercing humans and piercing kittens is that the humans can make the choice to get pierced and inflict pain on themselves. Idiot.

Donna, this is probably the first (and only) time I agree with PETA. This woman didn't care what pain these poor kittens were going through, those kittens didn't have a choice. The only thing she wanted was to make lots of money off of the internet at the cost of causing torture to these kittens. No matter how humane she said it was, it was still torture. I hope she gets all of the punishment she deserves.

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Originally Posted by moosmom

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.

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GOOD!

Does someone need to explain to this woman that humans are capable of making choices? A kitten has no voice. Good grief, when will this barbarism end?

This was on the news section on MSN.co.uk. Needless to say I think she should be flogged and jailed for many a year.:mad: What a stupid b****.
Also no doubt there will be idiots who think it looks cute and cool, the less said about them the better.

http://news.uk.msn.com/world/article...entid=13150812

The article ended on a good note - she was complaining that her dog grooming business has gone completely plummeted - ""My name's ruined, my reputation's ruined, my business is ruined," she said."

Well, good! The difference between piercing a human, and piercing a kitten? A human being has a choice, and chooses to endure pain for beauty's sake. The human being can be responsible about maintaining the wound. The human being can remove the "earring" is he or she chooses. The kitten had no choice.

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Originally Posted by Shelteez2

Disgusting. The difference between piercing humans and piercing kittens is that the humans can make the choice to get pierced and inflict pain on themselves. Idiot.

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I agree. What a crazy thing to do.:mad:

This is part of her story. Quote: " When I did it, it wasn't with any cruel intentions" She said. "They were definitely loved, well fed, no fleas, clipped nails, and they were happy". My question is, "if they were loved so much, why go ahead and torture these poor, innocent kittens?"

The people who BOUGHT these kittens from her must be real prizes too.

I think this is awful, though I feel similar on ear cropping for dogs. It's cosmetic, and the animal has no choice. It's all for what people prefer as a look.

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Originally Posted by K9soul

I think this is awful, though I feel similar on ear cropping for dogs. It's cosmetic, and the animal has no choice. It's all for what people prefer as a look.

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Agreed. And cropped ears take a lot longer to heal and are more painful than a pierced ear, I'm sure.

Whereas this seems unusual and cruel...I don't see this any differently than ear cropping. Its still altering the appearance of the animal needlessly, and painfully. If this woman is going to get raked over the coals for this, I think further evaluation of the practices of ear and tail cropping is in order.

Can I be topical for a second?

I do not approve of any cropping, tattoos or mutilation of animals.


Once I was sitting with a cat who's owner was nearby. I commented on the 'tear' the animal had on it's ear.

I wa informed that the 'tear' was put there to identify a feral cat who was neutered/fixed.

Now, this gal was an idiot to do this to these poor animals, but is it any different than marking ferals?


Not to be a smart arse, just wondering!:confused:

Do parents still pierce the ears of thier newborns/infants?

Side note, a few years ago a lady got hugely fined for piercing the ears of a young faun she took in.

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Originally Posted by blue

Do parents still pierce the ears of thier newborns/infants?

Side note, a few years ago a lady got hugely fined for piercing the ears of a young faun she took in.

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That is huge in the MEXICAN community. I guess if it don't hurt ya, it's o.k.:confused:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blue

Do parents still pierce the ears of thier newborns/infants?

Side note, a few years ago a lady got hugely fined for piercing the ears of a young faun she took in.

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Some parents still do. I once worked at an ear-piercing place/jewelry store. The youngest I ever did a baby was one week old. Her mother explained that she had had hers done as an infant, but her best friend didn't, and her friend was 12 when she was finally allowed to have it done. Her friend was terrified but wanted it done so badly she was crying beforehand, then didn't take good care of them - and wouldn't let her mother touch them, and they got painfully infected.

"I don't want me daughter to go through that," she said. At this age, I can be the one in change of keeping her ears clean, just like the rest of her, and as ALL the women in the family have pierced ears, I know she will want them, too."

The baby was sound asleep, and her mom held her facing forward. The baby's head was tilted on one side, I did that ear, and she just squeaked, didn't even wake up, and tilted her own head the other way. Done!

But is the stupid own who pierced the kitten's scalp gonna be there its whole life to make sure the "earring" is adjusted in length as the kitten grows?

Richard, I think that notching the ear of a feral in a TNR program is actually a good thing. It is done while the cat is "under" for the spay/neuter anyway. And for truly feral kitties, it spares them being caught again and again just to find out its already a "fixed" kitty.

Animals scratch their ears with their back legs.

Unaware of the piercings they could rip them out.

Once ripped out they would be in pain and possibly get an infection or just bleed to death if they are small enough.

Therefore, piercing is more cruel than ear notching of strays.