"Gothic Kitten" Woman Convicted of Cruelty

(AP)  A northeastern Pennsylvania woman who marketed "gothic kittens" with ear and neck piercings over the Internet has been convicted of animal cruelty.

A Luzerne County jury on Wednesday convicted 35-year-old dog groomer Holly Crawford of one misdemeanor count and one summary count of animal cruelty, but acquitted her of two separate counts. She will be sentenced March 31.

Crawford was charged in December 2008 after animal welfare officers took several kittens and a cat from her home. Deputy District Attorney David Pedri told jurors that Crawford inflicted pain upon three black kittens because, he alleged, "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.

[aChangeOfIdeas]

Is it child cruelty to pierce a baby's ears?

[barbaram99]

Ii is NOT ok to crop a dog's ears. It is NOT ok to dock a dog's tail. It is NOT ok to debark a dog. It is proper to have the dogs/cats fixed so they can't breed. That pitiful kitten is appalling..It is wrong to abuse animals..i am an American.

[meditating]

I am certainly not in favor of cruelty to animals and personally would not do this but how can it be okay to do this to a child for aesthetic reasons but not an animal? That is a valid argument. Furthermore, it is okay to cut off dogs' ears and tails regularly for aesthetics and that is okay. They amputate cat's claws regularly to keep from having to reupholster the couch. For that matter, if you could ask a male cat which he would rather have: his testicles or unpierced ears, I'm thinking hands down he would choose the former.

I didn't hear the trial or observe the witnesses, but how can the standard for cruelty to children be lower than cruelty to animals? I can't help but suspect the "gothic" aesthetic might have been the real issue here. I'm surprised the judge didn't dismiss this case, issue a directed verdict, or assume the role of the 13th juror. Maybe the judge doesn't have any testicles either (figuratively and not literally).

[akpals]

Why is it so terrible to pierce a cat's ears, but it's ok to "crop" off half of a dog's ears? on large breeds like a great dane, the vet removes almost half the ear, and it causes a lot of pain!

[barbaram99]

Not all Americans are dumb..I would not allow that kind of behaviour..Chrildren and pets look up to us to do the right thing in their best interest. I never had children. The Golden Rule. I am appalled that there are persons that would do that to an animal. That lady wrote her ticket. We were talking about it and the docking and debarking..It is abuse..When children are grown IF they want to wear certain then they are of age..Never an animal..This need to be banned. There is nothing cute about it..It makes me sick to know this goes on..

[rmm26a]

This woman needs to be sterilized.

[jtdev1]

Time to arrest all the parents who have their child's ears pierced.

How about circumcision??? That hurts!

stupid americans....

[thesevenveils]

The Jews and Muslims are steeped in circumcision. Some practicing Muslims believe in circumcising their women. Now that'd hurt.

[thesevenveils]

What did the cat say when it got its ears pierced?
Me Oww!

[elliesamericana]

Well, hopefully this will put a stop to her cruelty and perhaps get her some kind of therapy. However, working as mental health care provider on a forensic unit I can attest that there are elements of society that can get no better. All you can do is contain & control them at best. They are a loss to society and, indeed, a drain upon it. As for those who condone this, mentioning children with piercings & tattoos, declawing cats, circumcision, etc, these acts should be looked at in the same way. Children cannot make good decisions when it comes to mutilation of their bodies and animals have no voice to tell us at all. Most cat adoption places make you sign a contract that you will never declaw the cat. As for microchipping it is painless and gives the pet a great deal of help if it gets lost. We have a long way to go to become a fully enlightened society and these comment forums show how starkly that reality is.

[ampsanne]

I'm glad to see that they got her on cruelty. A cat's ears are very thin. With the pierced earrings being in the ears it was very likely they could get caught and the ear would be torn. Unlike having tails docked, as that it done when the dog is only a few days old, and the bone is still soft. I know I worked for a vet. I saw a picture of her on another website, and she looks like a looney tune, and must not have any brains.

[cvanoff]

I just saw her photo. I agree -- she definitely looks like a flake...