“Goth Kittens” Woman Found Guilty of Cruelty
Holly Crawford, the woman who continues to believe there’s nothing wrong with piercing kittens with a 14-guage needle and selling them as “Goth Kittens” over the Internet has been found guilty of animal cruelty in a Pennsylvania court.
She was charged in December 2008 after animal control officers removed several kittens and cats with pierced ears and necks from her home. The Daily Mail reported that at least one of the kittens also had an elastic band tied around its tail to stop the blood flow so that the tail could eventually fall off.
Deputy District Attorney David Pedri told jurors that Crawford inflicted constant pain on three black kittens to make money by selling them as “gothic kittens” on the Internet.
But the defense 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.
Incredibly, the defense also argued that while animal rights organizations helped bring the case to trial, most of these organizations prompt pet owners to have their animals neutered or spayed which involves surgically removing either their testicles or ovaries and uteruses.
Fortunately, the defense was unable to convince the jury, who convicted Crawford on one misdemeanor count and one summary count of animal cruelty and will be sentenced next month. She was acquitted on two separate counts.
It’s good to see a conviction in this case. Hisses at that woman and the suffering she caused those kittens. I hope that her sentencing includes a lifetime ban on owning and contact with animals. Is there contact information for the judge so that I can write a letter?
I can’t believe the ridiculous defence!! People spay and neuter, so she should be able to pierce the kitten’s ears?? And while I don’t agree with getting babies’ ears pierced, it’s not quite the same. It’s not like the ears are being weighted down, like these poor kittens, and I’ve never heard of anyone piercing the neck of a baby! Sheesh. I seriously hope she is banned from owning animals and that her grooming business goes under.
I don’t know who is the worst, that woman for thinking it is okay to torture kittens in that way, or her defence for the ridiculous argument they put forward. She should be banned from keeping animals for life and they should be banned from representing any animal cases.
there is no valid comparison to people piercing baby’s ears. the piercings could tear from normal kitten play and what about the elastic-banded tail?! I think I heard that her grooming bisiness was shut down – hope so!
Children ASK to get their ears peirced, so how is that the same as peircing a kittens’ ears? Didn’t the original article say that the state permanently revoked her grooming license?
I’m not sure what is more horrifying: her actions or the defense attorney’s argument. Thank heavens he did not prevail.
That defense attorney and that stupid “goth” and anyone who supported her deserves to do some serious time. I hope they were able to save that one kittie’s tail. On sheep, tails are docked to prevent flystrike, a painful condition for the sheep, not to make them look a certain way. When a feral’s ears are tipped, it is totally under, same with spaying and neutering, which saves countless lives. Her activities were pointless and cruel and she should never be allowed to have pets again. Anyone wanting to adopt disfigured animals needn’t look far, as-is.
It is shameful she was able to sell a single one.
I cant believe what some people will do to make a quick buck. Piercing the poor kitten’s ears is not justifiable by ANY means. People get their pets spayed and neutered in an effort to reduce the amount of pets that have to go homeless and suffer in today’s society. Simply piercing the ears of felines isnt doing ANYTHING to help society or help the poor animal
I am glad this horrible person was punished, even though it was far too lightly. I am concerned though that by giving this story so much publicity it will give other sick people ideas they hadn’t had before. Sorry that Catster felt it necessary to post a picture of this abused kitty also, it served absolutely no purpose.
We hope she gets the book thrown at her……or maybe we should throw some books at her….and her attorney. And while we are at it, lets throw those other two charges back at her.
It sounds like this twisted sadist didn’t get nearly as severe a punishment as she deserves, but even a misdemeanor conviction is better than nothing. The most important thing is that she is never able to do this to another kitty again.
Animal Abuse to these , God’s Babies whom we are responsible for!!! Maximum Jail Time should be a MUST in all of the world especally in our great United States of America and all the juristictions!! Contact your local people at local Government levels to change laws to punish us humans who abuse Animals!!! Amen!!
I am speechless. All I can think if BITCH you absolute BITCH. She is evil – totally evil. God forgive her.
Again, please write a letter to your Government at the local level to help change and enforce Animal Abuse and Neglect laws as this is a way to start to make sure mandatory jail time is a must for sick humans who do horrible acts to these beautiful Feline Blessings from God!! We are ALL responsible to help as their voice to stop these awful acts of evil to Cats and all Gods creatures!!
This is a child friendly site, no profanity please!
Catster guidelines:
Content that contains profanity; is sexually explicit; depicts the torture and abuse of animals; or contains graphic, descriptive and lengthy portrayals of serious violence against animals; blood, injury, and/or death are not allowed on Catster.
This sadistic woman actually lives in a neighboring county from me. On the local news they said that she is “an animal lover.” HA! What animal lover would needlessly cause an animal pain? She was just trying to make money, plain and simple. And I shudder to imagine the type of person who would actually buy a “goth” kitten!!!
I am so glad they found her guilty! Thank goodness there was justice in this case.
Dear Norman and Family–Yes, Please DO show this to your children as someday your young ones may save and help stop this kind of evil by reporting what they see in the world to Police and Parents ! Education is the best deense in stopping Animal Abuse ! PLEASE show and educate your Young ones and their friends! To be able to save Gods creatures is ALL our responsibilities and it starts with education!! Ignorence is torture or death to these Feline Babies…not bliss to them!! Thank you for helping if you can!
I am beyond outraged. Is there a way of contacting the defense team or the judge in order to express how we feel? I shudder to think that this line of you-know-what would ever be allowed as a viable defense for future animal cruelty cases.
The defence in this case make us sick. There is a big difference between doing something for a medical reasons and doing some that just plain cruel for profit. She a sick woman for doing what she did and the defence aren’t any better.
IMO the fact that the kittens’ ears were being weighed down with those earrings is worst than them being pierced in the first place. The rubber ban on the tail thing is just sick!
I hope this woman is never allowed to come in contact with any living creature that can’t defend itself. She’s sick.
Spaying and neutering is done so that an animal can’t reproduce, not for vanity reasons. This is just plain cruel, and stupid besides.
Shame on you, and I hope you have to really think about what you did to these poor helpless animals.
There are no words for people like this woman. I hope she is given the toughest punishment possible for her CRIME!
Can you imagine the poor kitties with those earrings on their ears! Tearing and scratching away at them to get them out. It just breaks my heart!
Thank God she was found guilty! WITCH!
I would like to see this @$$(^)e hoisted from a lamppost. VERY SLOWLY.
That is horrible I hope she gets maximum punishment I agree with all of you, she should not be allowed to be in contact with animals, of any kind. There is no forgiveness for this monster!! That is what she is a monster of the worse kind. I am so upset outraged and sad at the same time
I remember when this woman first came to light- sick and disgusting what she did to these poor animals, but it’s almost even worse to hear her defense tried to justify it by saying that its like piercing a child’s ears.
My parents got my ears pierced when I was a year old- however, tiny studs that are unlikely to snag or weigh down anything are far far different from placing barbells into a kittens much more delicate ear.
I don’t even want to talk about the neck piercings.
This woman is sick and needs to be forbidden to keep any pets for the rest of her life. As to someone’s mention of a grooming business, that needs to be shit down as well. She should not be allowed to live, work, or handle animals at all.
Gain some humanity before you start talking about animal cruelty.
How can you people stand to talk about another person like that? With such profanity and malice. I think the most outrageous thing is to call her sadistic! She wasn’t causing harm because she likes to see things in pain, it was a way of displaying creativity and individuality.
Now before you start with your personal attacks on me, I don’t think she should have done this, and I don’t think it should be legal, but she did not believe she was breaking the law when she did this, and she didn’t believe she did anything wrong.
The needles were sterile, she kept them uninfected and she was educated on animals.
Animals are branded and tagged all the time, but since it’s not a cute little kitten it’s okay?
And ears are pinned, tails are bobbed (which is what the rubber band was for, that’s how it’s done) and that’s acceptable because it’s deemed as cute. But since she’s “goth” your prejudiced.
As far as consent goes, animals don’t have consent for anything we do for them, and neither do babies that we pierce.
And she is an animal lover, and should be able to care for and in my opinion groom them, because she won’t be doing anything like this again. The justice system is a means of protection and prevention, not punishment. So she should be allowed to continue her love.
Gain some humanity before you start talking about animal cruelty.
“She wasn’t causing harm because she likes to see things in pain, it was a way of displaying creativity and individuality.”
Absolutely – just like those guys who capture stray dogs in Mexico and let them starve to death in glass boxes for everyone to watch and call it “artistic.”
“…but she did not believe she was breaking the law when she did this, and she didn’t believe she did anything wrong.”
I think common sense would tell anyone that this is illegal. If she’s that out of touch with reality, she needs to go to a mental institution.
“…tails are bobbed (which is what the rubber band was for, that’s how it’s done)…”
Are you insane? Tail docking that is done any later than a few days after the birth of an animal, is a medical operation that must be done by a vet.
“And she is an animal lover, and should be able to care for and in my opinion groom them, because she won’t be doing anything like this again.”
That’s like saying that a child molester loves children, and that they should be allowed to be preschool teachers because, “They won’t do it again!”
Good job.
That is all, of course, not even mentioning the fact that this is a women who was selling kittens to the highest bidder on eBay. These people could have been hoarders, they could have been animal abusers, they could have been zoophiles – who knows what kind of scumbags these poor babies were being sent to, without a care from her as long as she got money for it. Still think she’s an animal lover?