"Gothic Kittens" Cruelty Case: 6 Months House Arrest for Piercing Cats' Ears

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (CBS/WFOR/AP) Holly Crawford thought there was nothing wrong with piercing kitty cats with a 14-gauge needle and selling them as "gothic kittens" over the Internet. But a jury thought otherwise and convicted her in February of animal cruelty.

Now, the northeastern Pennsylvania woman has been sentenced to six months of house arrest and is being forced to close her animal grooming business for more than two years.

Luzerne County Judge Tina Polachek Gartley allowed the 35-year-old from Ross Township to keep her pets, which include a dog, three cats and three snakes.

Prosecutors alleged that Crawford pierced three black kittens because "she thought it was neat" to sell gothic kittens on the Internet.

Defense attorneys argued that parents allow children to get pierced ears at young ages, and it would be wrong to hold cat owners to a higher standard.

Story Contributed by CBS Affiliate WFOR

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