Homeowner Allegedly Tried to Sell Pierced 'Gothic' Kittens on Web

[CptSternn]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,469724,00.html

Humane officers say a Pennsylvania homeowner marketed and tried to sell "gothic kittens" with ear, neck and tail piercings over the Internet.

Officers with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals removed three kittens and a cat Wednesday from a home in Ross Township, just outside of outside Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

An investigation into the pierced kittens started about a week ago when a man from another state saw "gothic kittens" being sold on eBay, a SPCA official in Luzerne County told The Times Leader.

The man called the number listed on the Internet ad and visited the home, where he saw the kittens, Officer Carol Morrison told The Times Leader.

“It’s unbelievable anybody would do this to kittens," Morrison told the newspaper.

While at the home, police also found a dog with pierced ears, the Times Leader reported.

Charges are likely against the homeowner, whose name was not released, Morrison said.

Morrison said the homeowner has a pet grooming business in the basement of the home.

[CptSternn]

Whereas I don't agree with piercing animals, its begs the question why the authorities would arrest the man when doing things like clipping the ears of various breeds of dog and clipping the tails of various dogs is considered perfectly legal everywhere in America.

[Drake Dun]

The same reason your parents have a heart attack if you get a tattoo, but stood calmly by while, just after your birth, a trained physician carved up your dick with a sharp piece of metal, I suppose. Or the same reason it's illegal to sell horse meat for human consumption in California, even though the state does $1,633,740,000 worth of business per year selling cows for the same purpose. Or the same reason Americans can figure out a way to convince themselves that killing tens or hundreds of thousands of foreigners is not only something other than a murder spree, but somehow a quest of the most noble kind.

[MollyMac]

Originally Posted by CptSternn

Whereas I don't agree with piercing animals, its begs the question why the authorities would arrest the man when doing things like clipping the ears of various breeds of dog and clipping the tails of various dogs is considered perfectly legal everywhere in America.

No joke. All of it is bullshit and simple human preference for altering what we can to suit our tastes and perceived needs. The last job I have in animal care, I quit because the clinic ceased its ban on docking and also toe-declawing on cats (not the laser method where the cat's toe is preserved, but the "fast and cheap" of cutting the toes off).

Kind of like cutting the fingers off a toddler for displaying toddler-like actions where some discipline and training and proper tools would be of better benefit.

But it is not just in America, Sternn. The US adopted the practices from Europe.

[Saya]

I think toe declawing at least is banned in most European countries, but yeah, America isn't alone in this. Canada has similar attitudes towards animals, all my cats when I was younger were declawed (if I knew then what that meant I wouldn't have agreed to it), and I found a cat some time ago who had piercings in her ears.

[Mr. Filth]

Poor gothic kittens! So misunderstood. They're just trying to find their place in the world.

[Beneath the Shadows]

I personally don't mind ear piercings on animals, though I'd never do that to a pet of my own (I'd be too worried that they'd get it caught in something and rip it out), but neck and tail piercings?!

What... the... fuck?!

[chelseagirl]

That is disgusting, the pictures of the poor little kitten is disturbing.

I do see a difference between tail and ear docking, and what this lady did though. The piercings she put in the cat (and her dog - which isn't mentioned in the article you posted) is sure to get ripped out - either by getting caught on something, or from the animal scratching itself.

The "submission" ring she put in the cats neck is horrible. The article you posted doesn't mention it, but the neck piercing is on the top of the kitten's neck (where a collar would be), so that someone can clip a lead to it and lead the cat around. If someone actually did that, the cat would probably try to run away, and end up ripping the damn thing out. At least tail and ear docking don't expose the animal to pain and suffering in the future.

[XxBloodyrosexX]

My gosh!!! I live about an hour and a half to two hours away from that place! I do not believe in any animal pain without the animal's consent (which of course you can't get) except for spaying with is needed so there is no overpopulation and animals dieing in small cages. I have two cats and neither are clawless once I learned they actually remove bone. This is horrible. And I don't think them being 'Gothic Kittens' is making people think this worse. It's just the mutilation. I also don't like adults piercing their little baby's ears.

[DRM]

That's really horribly disterbing.

And how the hell did that person get a kitten to hold stilllong enough for them to do a peircing?