Petside.com

Kim Macfarlan November 5, 2008 11:37 PM

In Charlotte, NC we recently had a case where a woman was hoarding over 400 animals in deplorable conditions. Thankfully, the ASPCA intervened and removed the animals from her 'home'. Not long after this occurred my beloved 12yo boxer died of cancer. I was so sad and depressed I couldn't sleep or eat. My wonderful sister learned there was a dog staying in a boarding facility that really needed a home and her very own person. She is the sweetest, most affectionate little mixed breed girl who was never spayed so kept having litter after litter of puppies - I doubt many if any even survived. My sister brought her to my house to see if having a dog to foster would help ease my depression. It turned out to be the best therapy I could ever have had. This little girl is so sweet, loving and trusting that it breaks my heart she had it so bad for so long. All she wants is to be loved. She is so cuddly and loves her new home . This is the first time she's been clean, had a soft warm place to lay during they day (and that place is the couch). She just snuggles up as close to me as is physically possible while I work or watch TV. She just wants to please and seems so eager to please.

After my dog died, I couldn't sleep in my own bed...it was too lonely and sad without my best friend sleeping in it with me. If I slept at all, it was on the couch. Now that I have this little angel, I am at last able to sleep there. She cuddles up right next to shoulder and doesn't move the whole night. I may be anthropomorphizing but I swear she is grateful to me for her new life. She now has indoor living, consistent and quality feedings, daily walks, play times and plenty of attention.
The woman who was hoarding the animals is planning to go to court to try to get them back; therefore, I can't even get Jackie (her new name) spayed. I strongly doubt the woman will be able to get these animals back but I am fearful of having to return Jackie when she is clearly very happy here and receiving care like she never knew existed. I am hoping if that time actually comes, I can offer to buy the dog from the hoarder or maybe Jackie will 'run away"...wink, wink,, and, oops, sorry can't give her back.
This dog did for me what no pill or doctor could have...she brought me back to life and I owe it to her to do everything in my power to keep her with me where she is safe, secure, treated like the special wonderful creature that she is and most of all loved.

If you have the time, space and love in your heart to foster a dog who has been in a similar situation, please do. You will be doing such good. Just make sure to take spend time with the animal first to make sure your temperaments are suited..also if you have other pets, consider how they are likely to react to a new member of the family. What you give, you get back ten-fold.

Diana Bauer November 6, 2008 10:35 AM

Kim, there is no way on God's green earth that I would give that little dog back to the hoarder. She would stay with me - legally or illegally.
Fight the good fight - for Jackie's sake - and never give her up.

There's a special place in hell for animal hoarders who abuse and neglect their animals, whether they are mentally competent or not.

And there's a place UNDERNEATH hell for people who run puppy mills.

Di

Cousin Judy November 6, 2008 10:38 AM

I'm a psychiatrist working in a busy city hospital outpatient department. From time to time we see these people in our clinic and it's very sad to see the condition of both the people and the animals. The diagnosis that makes the most sense to me is a variant of OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder. Animal hoarders are not so different from people who hoard inanimate objects. They aren't psychotic in the usual sense, but their thinking and judgment is truly impaired. We're always very sad when we have to get the ASPCA involved, but there's really no choice, because we've found that the hoarders don't see that they have a problem. And I'm always glad to hear of happy outcomes when previously hoarded animals are adopted into loving homes. Thank you, Jo, for raising awareness of this problem.

Cheryl Jones November 6, 2008 11:06 AM

It is as important to educate the general population to recognize the signs of this behavior as it is to identify those who are affected.

With the advent of internet sites and message boards and development of support groups and causes, it is becoming commnplace for hoarders to seek support and even funding via the internet. Hoarders are becoming adept at finding newsgroups to plead their causes, and to garner support. Large animal hoarders often operate under the guise of rescue or sanctuary, and solicit donation among animal lovers. The supporters don't recognize the conditions are detrimental to the animals, and don't recognize that the hoarders are persons in need of care themselves. There should be more attention given to help would-be supporters to identify warning signs that some rescuers are in fact hoarders, and that they are doing more harm than caring for the animals, and that suporting them through financial donation is actually causing greater harm.

There are some common indicators that identify hoarders, and they typically cross over the lines between small animal hoarders and large animal hoarders. As the subjects in the story, the hoarders are generally rather solitary individuals who are somewhat reclusive. They have far more animals than can be cared for adequately. Their home conditions and the conditions in which the animals are kept are generally filthy and in terrible repair. The animals are often in terrible condition, sick, starving and dying. The animals generally do not have proper veterinary or dental care. The hoarder does not recognize any of the above. The hoarder sees the animals as perfect, in good health and condition, well fed, and denies that their habitats are filthy and inadequate. The hoarders see themselves as being the only person or persons capable of providing adequate care for their animals, and rejects offers of assistance from friends, family or officials. It's not unusual for a hoarder to deny that an animal has been neglected to the point that the animal dies of starvation and neglect, and retains the animal's carcass, denying that the animal is deceased.

The internet has become an unwitting enabler of hoarding behavior, and it is imperative that would be supporters become educated and are able to identify hoarders, and take proper steps to protect the animals who are at risk

Ruth November 6, 2008 11:09 AM

Kim, God Bless you for taking on fostering. I hope and pray that that woman never gets her dogs back and you can adopt this sweet little girl. I also do fostering. I foster greyhounds rescued from the racing tracks. Fostering is a very rewarding thing to do. The dogs know they're being saved and like you said, they give back ten-fold the love. I know hoarders thing they're doing good by "rescuing" strays, but in reality they're not doing the dogs or cats they rescue a favor. They end up living in terrible conditions and the hoarders can't afford or don't want to spay or neuter so they end up with many more puppies and kittens. I think it's great when people want to save strays, but do it the right way. Only save what you can afford and get them spayed or nuetered. Good luck Kim. I really pray you can keep your little foster girl. She sounds like a dream.

Pam November 6, 2008 12:14 PM

Whenever I watch one of the animal rescue shows on Animal Planet, my heart just breaks when there's a segment on animal hoarding.

In some ways, I can understand the mentality that no one can love them as much as you do and you fear for their lives if they left you. But, like anything else that gets out of hand or is extreme, IMHO, there are probably emotional issues that should be addressed.

My first cat was rescued from outside our door; all of my other cats have been rescued from a shelter. My oldest cat is now almost 19 years old and has been my "pillow pal" for all those years. Hopefully, she has many more years ahead of her.

Vicki November 6, 2008 12:48 PM

I will never understand why people have too many animals to take care of. I have eight dogs and three horses and 1 cat. They are never denied vet care, feed, grooming etc. I know how costly it is to have animals and make sure they are taken care of. I just don't understand why people have so many animals and can't give them the care they need and deserve.

Cheryl Jones November 6, 2008 2:31 PM

It is as important to educate the general population to recognize the signs of this behavior as it is to identify those who are affected.

With the advent of internet sites and message boards and development of support groups and causes, it is becoming commnplace for hoarders to seek support and even funding via the internet. Hoarders are becoming adept at finding newsgroups to plead their causes, and to garner support. Large animal hoarders often operate under the guise of rescue or sanctuary, and solicit donation among animal lovers. The supporters don't recognize the conditions are detrimental to the animals, and don't recognize that the hoarders are persons in need of care themselves. There should be more attention given to help would-be supporters to identify warning signs that some rescuers are in fact hoarders, and that they are doing more harm than caring for the animals, and that suporting them through financial donation is actually causing greater harm.

There are some common indicators that identify hoarders, and they typically cross over the lines between small animal hoarders and large animal hoarders. As the subjects in the story, the hoarders are generally rather solitary individuals who are somewhat reclusive. They have far more animals than can be cared for adequately. Their home conditions and the conditions in which the animals are kept are generally filthy and in terrible repair. The animals are often in terrible condition, sick, starving and dying. The animals generally do not have proper veterinary or dental care. The hoarder does not recognize any of the above. The hoarder sees the animals as perfect, in good health and condition, well fed, and denies that their habitats are filthy and inadequate. The hoarders see themselves as being the only person or persons capable of providing adequate care for their animals, and rejects offers of assistance from friends, family or officials. It's not unusual for a hoarder to deny that an animal has been neglected to the point that the animal dies of starvation and neglect, and retains the animal's carcass, denying that the animal is deceased.

The internet has become an unwitting enabler of hoarding behavior, and it is imperative that would be supporters become educated and are able to identify hoarders, and take proper steps to protect the animals who are at risk

Rani November 6, 2008 3:29 PM

I'm going to send this column to my daughter. Last year, she and her fiancé bought a fixer-upper out in the country on 2.5 acres. The first step was to get rid of the 40+ cats that the seller had hoarded. Many were feral, many were FIV+, and sadly, many were too sick to save. It was a huge project and not helped by the seller's boyfriend coming back to the property at night and putting food out for the cats.

Now I am a cat-lover (currently have two, or rather, two cats own us!) and so is my daughter, but it was plain-as-day that these cats were not being cared-for. Therein is the big difference between the cat or dog lover who wants to rescue needy animals (and has the wherewithal to do it) and the hoarder.

It's sad when an animal-lover goes over that edge and ends up hurting the very animals he or she wanted to help.

Rani

melissa November 6, 2008 3:59 PM

I have always felt badly for hoarders. I believe their intentions are good. I have 6 cats and 2 dogs, and am aware I have reached my limit to be able to care for them properly (1 cat and 1 dog have chronic illnesses). However, instead of comdemning them to hell, medical treatment is needed

Amy November 7, 2008 6:11 AM

Although hoarders believe they are "helping" animals, this is a serious problem both for the humans and the animals. Having so many animals, cuts down on their socialization with humans. Many if not all animals "saved" by hoarders can not be adopted out because of their lack of socialization. Their lack of being exposed to actual kindness and love leads to the euthanization of many of these animals. My heart breaks every time I hear a story of hoarding.
Another great article Jo. Bravo

J.A. Morrison November 7, 2008 8:03 AM

Unfortunately I worked with an animal hoarder for a while. She seemed to be the nicest person. We shared a love of cats. She invited me over to see her "little" family. I was shocked when I walked into the home and found over 150 cats. Actually there were 153 total plus many pregnant females.
It apparently started from rescuing two pregnant females. When the kittens were born she didn't have the money to have them spayed and neutered and in her words, "They were to cute to give away." She also feared that the humane society would put the cats down if they took them. A rescued male cat started the cycle over and over. The cats were ill and although they were cared for as best as she could she never had enough money for food, litter, or vet visits. I intervened for the humane society and got her numbers down to 43. That is when she called me to let me know that she was leaving town and had called the humane society. All the remaining animals were picked up and euthanized before I could step in to help rescue them. A sad situation. What prompted her hoarding was money. She couldn't afford the important vet visits and spaying and neutering and feared what would happen to the cats if the humane society stepped in. In the end it was a sad mess. This woman just couldn't consider giving the cats over to the humane society because they were NOT a "No Kill" shelter. Now she has been prosecuted for abandoning the cats and done jail time. She can never have pets again and that is good in one way and sad in another but the best decision for her and whatever animals she might have gotten in the future.

Jen "Rani's daughter" November 7, 2008 9:55 AM

My mom used to read me a book called "Thousands of Cats." That was what my house felt like before we bought it. I cleaned cat refuse from places you wouldn't believe! Having worked at a laboratory, and knowing what I know about bacteria and viruses, hoarding animals can be a seerious health risk for not only the owners and the pets, but the people who live around them.