Gaaahhhh!
Pierced 'Gothic Kittens' Seized
Animal protection officers have seized "gothic kittens" with piercings which were being advertised for sale on the internet.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals removed three kittens and a cat from a home outside Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
"This is a first. It's unbelievable anybody would do this to kittens," animal protection officer Carol Morrison told the local Times Leader newspaper.
They were tipped off after a listing appeared on a website under the title "pure black, tailless, pierced, gothic kitten".
One of the defenceless creatures, named Snarley Monster, is shockingly described as "a three-month-old, floppy-eared, loveable kitten with a docked tail" in the advert.
The animal is pictured on the site with two 14-gauge ear piercings and a "submission ring" through the back of its neck.
The owner asked for offers over $400 for the kitten, the jewellery and a silk submission lead to clip onto the neck ring.
Ms Morrison said the kittens would be checked over by a vet before a decision is made on whether they will be placed in new homes.
The woman, who had a pet grooming business in the basement of her home, is expected to face charges.
