Trial begins for northeastern Pa. woman charged with animal cruelty for piercing kittens

Trial begins for Pa. woman who pierced kittens

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — A northeastern Pennsylvania woman is on trial to face animal cruelty charges for marketing “gothic kittens” with ear and neck piercings over the Internet.

The trial of 35-year-old dog groomer Holly Crawford began Tuesday in Wilkes-Barre (WILKS’-behr-ee).

Prosecutors say she inflicted pain on the cats to make money. Attorneys for Crawford say she didn’t act maliciously.

Crawford’s home outside Wilkes-Barre was raided in December 2008 after the SPCA of Luzerne County received a tip that she was marketing the animals online for hundreds of dollars.

Crawford says she used sterilized needles and made sure the kittens were healing properly. She said she wasn’t trying to hurt them.