XPost: alt.true-crime, rec.pets.birds, rec.pets.cats.misc   
   XPost: talk.politics.animals, uk.rec.pets.misc   
   From: theprof@jonez.net   
      
   _ Prof. Jonez _ wrote:   
   > Pet groomer charged with piercing kittens   
   >   
   > Associated Press   
   > Originally published 06:54 a.m., January 23, 2009   
   >   
   > ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania (AP) - 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   
   > authorities received a tip from the group People for the Ethical   
   > Treatment of Animals that she was marketing the animals online for   
   > hundreds of dollars. Crawford has said she will plead not guilty.   
   >   
   > 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.   
   > "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.   
   > 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.   
   > ==========   
   >   
   > So dog owners/shops who crop ears and tails are guilty of animal   
   > cruelty too?   
   > Or bird owners/shops who have the animal's tongue split so they can   
   > mimic human sounds ?   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)