Animal Hoarding

The affects on People, Animals and the Community

Animal hoarding is more common than many people realize. Animal collecters tend to live in isolation and seclusion to keep their secret safe. Cat hoarders are more common than Dog hoarders, simply because cats are smaller and easier to keep in smaller spaces. There are more small dog hoarders than large dog hoarders for the same reason. However, according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund dog hoarding and animal collecting affects an estimated 250,000 animals annually and the number of reported cased has more than doubled in the last 4 years. When a case breaks, it is typically featured on the nightly news because of the horrors that are found and the impact it has on the community.

Animal collecting is now recognized as a mental disorder similar to obsessive compulsive disorder. Many people that are animal collectors also hoard material objects. The individuals are usually living in the same squalor that the animals are forced to endure. A trait of the disorder is that they are unable to see the harm being done to the animals. They believe that despite the horrific conditions, the animals are better off in their care.

How it All Starts

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Animal collectors typically start with only a few animals. Over time, they develop a need or obsession to have more. They may have a deep desire to rescue an animal and repeatedly “save” dogs or cats without realizing they already have more than they are capable of caring for. Hoarders may also start out as breeders who eventually are unable to give up the litters because of their attachment to the animals.

As the number of animals the hoarders care increases, they are no longer able to keep up with the demands of the animals. They are unable to provide basic veterinary care. They are unable to provide food or grooming on a consistent basis. Over time, the number of animals continues to increase while the level of care continues to decrease.

Dog hoarders can masquerade as a private shelter or rescue group. This front gives them continual access to more dogs. The unsuspecting individual who is in desperate need to find a home for a dog sees the website or the advertisement that the “shelter” is accepting animals in need. The dog is then turned over to the hoarder with promises of finding a loving new home for the animal. Instead, the dog is just one more of the 10’s or 100’s of animals that are trapped in horrifying conditions.

Law enforcement and animal welfare workers that have been involved in animal hoarding cases say that the conditions are the worst they have ever seen. The homes are piled high with feces. The ammonia is strong enough to cause some of the animals to go blind and rescue workers must wear masks to enter the property. Dead animals are usually found on the premises. The properties are many times in such a state that they are condemned and burned or bulldozed after the animals are removed.

Dogs that are victims of animal hoarding suffer greatly from years of neglect.

How to Help

The Animal Legal Defense fund article referenced above contains some good information on the underlying causes of the disorder, the types of people it most often affects and how to recognize the signs. The HARC, the Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium provides an in depth look at the problem and how it affects the individual with the disorder, the animals in their care and the community that they live in.

If you know someone that you suspect may be an animal collector, report them to your local law enforcement agency or animal control.

If you find yourself having to Rehome your pet , always insist on seeing where the animals are being kept. Make sure you are not feeding the addiction of an animal hoarder.

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