After neighbors complained about an odor, police discovered 46 cats, five of them dead, in an Arizona condominium. The woman who was arrested as a result said that she was breeding them.
A South Florida woman claimed that she had rescued the more than 70 dogs and cats who were found in her home. One was dead, and the others were sick as a result of living in their own waste.
More than 110 emaciated, parasite-infested dogs and cats were rescued from a 109-degree garage when police raided a home in Texas.
Animal hoarding is a massive problem that exists in communities everywhere.
Some humans hoard animals to breed and sell them, while others, who lack the experience and resources to care for animals properly, run sham “rescues” that claim to provide safe haven but are often overrun by hundreds of animals.
Regardless of the reason, animals are the ones who pay for every hoarder’s severe, even fatal, neglect.
Hoarded animals typically aren’t given adequate food, water, or shelter. Their crowded, filthy living conditions facilitate the spread of worms, mange, distemper, and other parasites and diseases, and they’re often denied veterinary care, including spay and neuter surgeries. As a result, their numbers either increase or they’re separated by sex and confined to small cages. The broken limbs and wounds that they sustain in fights often go untreated and can lead to infections.
What You Can Do
If you suspect that animals are being hoarded—warning signs include an overwhelming stench of animal waste, decrepit buildings and yards, or residents who won’t let anyone past their front door—contact humane officials and the police. Most cases are brought to authorities’ attention by a hoarder’s neighbors, who often cite odors, barking, and rodent and insect infestations.
When hoarding cases are publicized, write to officials and the media urging that hoarders be barred from all contact with animals—with follow-up visits from officials to ensure compliance—and ordered to undergo psychiatric counseling and treatment. Without intervention, the relapse rate for hoarders is nearly 100 percent.
Written by Craig Shapiro
