Incase you don't know, animal hoarding has approximately 15,000 new cases every year. One sign of animal hoarding would be that there are more than the typical number of companion animals in a house. Another sign is that the owner has the inability to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter and veterinary care for the animals. This neglect often results in starvation, illness and death. The people that hoard animals deny the fact that they have a problem. They insist that all animals are happy and healthy, even when there are clear signs of distress and illness. It's important to know that not all people who have a lot of animals are considered hoarders. If the animals have proper nutrition, shelter, veterinary care, ext, you are not an animal hoarder since they are taken care of.
There are three types of hoarders. They include, the overwhelmed caregiver, the rescuer hoarder and exploiters hoarders. The overwhelmed caregiver initially provides adequate care for their animals which they have a strong attachment to; have fewer issues with authority figures and accepting intervention; and may be socially isolated. The rescuer develops a compulsion based on a strong need to rescue animals from possible death or euthanasia; actively acquires animals and believes they are the only ones who can adequately care for them; find it hard to refuse any new animals; may work within a network of animal welfare people; and avoid authorities. Lastly, the exploiters hoarder acquires animals to serve their own needs and are indifferent to the harm caused to them; deny the problem and reject authority figures or outside help; believe they know best and have an extreme need to control; skilled at presenting excuses and explanations for their circumstances; self-concerned and expressing no remorse or guilt; acquires animals actively; plans to evade the law, will lie cheat and steal without remorse in order to achieve their goals.
If you have a suspicion that someone is an animal hoarder, call your local humane law enforcement department, police department, animal shelter, animal welfare group or veterinarian to initiate the process of getting the animals help.
