The Horrors of Animal Hoarding – GWC Mag

Animal Hoarding refers to situations where a person keeps more animals than they can appropriately provide care to. Animals living under these conditions are often severely neglected and denied adequate nutrition, medical care, affection, and even space. They may live in filthy, cruel conditions and often exhibit symptoms of malnutrition and untreated disease. Animal Hoarding is a horrible form of animal cruelty. It affects an enormous number of companion animals. Estimates cited by the Animal Defense League Fund say that up to 250,000 dogs, cats, and other animals are victims of hoarding situations. Sadly, this form of animal cruelty can go undetected for years.

What Causes Animal Hoarding?

Hoarding objects is a complex psychological issue. The hoarding of animals also frequently has a mental health aspect and may be triggered by a traumatic past or event. A 2000 article published in Psychiatric Times states that frequently, animal hoarders experienced adverse childhood events. During their childhoods, an animal or animals may have played an important role. Since the childhoods of these people are often characterized as chaotic, animals may have provided a stable influence for them. 

The mental health aspects of animal hoarding are beginning to be more widely recognized. Animal hoarding has even been given its own name. According to the National Library of Medicine, psychologists are beginning to use the term Noah Syndrome to describe the psychological issue of animal hoarding. People who hoard animals also frequently display other hoarding behaviors such as keeping garbage. They often display delusional behaviors about their surroundings or, more concerningly, about the health and well-being of the animals in their care. 

How Hoarding Harms Animals

Statistics from the  Animal Legal Defense Fund show that 72 percent of animal hoarders are women. Women are more likely to hoard cats, while male animal hoarders are more likely to hoard dogs. Cats, then dogs, are the two most hoarded animals. However, other animals may also become victims of hoarding situations. Heartbreakingly, dead or sick animals are present in over 80 percent of hoarding cases. However, over half of the hoarders refuse to acknowledge that the animals are unwell, or being provided inadequate care. 

Investigators from HumanePro, an animal welfare organization, share that the animals they have found in the worst conditions have been rescued from animal hoarding situations. Sadly, these animals may have suffered abuse and neglect for many years before being rescued.  

Frequently the animals in hoarding situations are denied basic necessities. These abused animals may be suffering from malnutrition or dehydration due to a lack of access to adequate food and water. Additionally, the mentally ill person keeping them may be so delusional that they are unable to recognize when the animals are suffering from illnesses. Horrifyingly, this means that the creatures are often denied medical care. 

Animals from hoarding situations are also frequently kept in filthy, cruel conditions. Since they are often denied even basic medical care, animals are frequently not spayed or neutered. This compounds the overpopulation problems. Hoarders may keep animals stacked in cages, or in homes or enclosures covered in excrement. Urine and feces are found in 69 percent of animal hoarders’ homes. 

The hoarding of large numbers of animals also typically leaves them unsocialized or under-socialized. This means that, even if rescued, animals from hoarding situations may have behavioral issues that make it extremely difficult to find homes. When animals are rescued from hoarding situations, the sheer numbers may also quickly overwhelm local shelters and rescues. 

Signs of Animal Hoarding

Animal hoarding cases have been on the rise in recent years. Germany’s Animal Protection Association said in a 2021 statement that cases were at a ten-year high. The Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns may have led to a spike in loneliness. This could have exacerbated the problem. Additionally, the rising cost of living may have played a role in this spike. 

  The following are signs of animal hoarding according to the ASPCA:

• Unusually large number of animals 
• A person cannot meet animals’ needs including food, medical care, clean environment
• Strong odor and deteriorating condition of property
• Animals may be lethargic, visibly sick or malnourished, or inadequately socialized 
• A person may be disconnected from a community or isolated from social Support
• Although some hoarders recognize the situation, others may be in denial about the severity and unwilling to accept assistance

Institutional Hoarding

In many cases, animal hoarders sincerely believe that they are helping the animals in their care. These people are referred to as “rescue hoarders”. Animal hoarders that fall under this category account for the majority of hoarding cases involving 50 or more individual animals. Unfortunately, it is often even more difficult to save these animals. 

Sometimes, animal hoarders are set up as legitimate rescues or sanctuaries. However, animals still suffer from a lack of care at these facilities. Two animal rescues, one in Butler County, Ohio, and another in South Carolina, have both been uncovered as potential hoarding situations over the past year. Sadly, these are not the only two such instances. Institutional animal hoarding occurs when so-called “rescues” do not provide adequate care to the creatures they take in. 

HumanePro and the ASPCA both state that such groups may refuse to give up the animals in their care. Additionally, they may refuse to cooperate with law enforcement. As with individuals who hoard animals, institutions may refuse to recognize or acknowledge the harm they are causing. These institutions may refuse to allow access to their properties or hide animals to prevent them from being taken. 

There are some signs when a rescue or sanctuary becomes a hoarding situation. Often, they will not allow animals to be adopted out yet will continue to take in animals. They may also not allow visitors into their facilities, or be unwilling to divulge how many animals are under their care. A mistrust of authorities or other animal services may also be present. 

What To Do:

If you believe that you know of an animal hoarding situation, contact appropriate officials immediately. Dozens of animals can be abused in each hoarding case and may require immediate assistance. If you have contact with the hoarder, point out the deteriorating condition of the animals to them and reassure them that it is okay to accept help. Frequently, people who hoard animals fear that they will be euthanized if they are taken away. 

Additionally, if an animal must be surrendered, always thoroughly research the rescue or sanctuary. Visit the facilities and view the other animals to ensure that they are receiving appropriate care. Hoarding situations often begin with only a few animals who are not spayed or neutered. Be sure to Support low-cost spay/neuter clinics and affordable veterinary care.

Sadly, animal hoarders have a recidivism rate of close to 100 percent. This means that, without appropriate psychological help, they will almost always continue to hoard animals if allowed. Many Animal rights organizations advocate that people convicted of animal hoarding be barred from ever keeping animals again. Support for this kind of legislation can help prevent repeat offenses. 

Animal Hoarding is a complex issue. However, it causes extreme suffering to the animals kept in these cruel conditions. Remember to be on the lookout for signs of animal hoarding, and report animal cruelty. Animals rescued from such cases can struggle to recover and need all the Support and love we can give them. Unfortunately, the cruel conditions that they have been subjected to may have left them with medical and behavioral issues that can lessen their chances of being adopted into a loving home. Animal Hoarding is an extreme form of animal cruelty that must be stopped.

Sign this petition to Help Animal Hoarding Victims!

Speak Up Tee By Tiny Rescue: Animal Collection

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