Is Your Neighbor Hoarding Animals?

What is Hoarding Disorder?

According to Psychiatry.org, people with hoarding disorder excessively save items that others may view as worthless. They have persistent difficulty getting rid of or parting with possessions, leading to clutter that disrupts their ability to use their living or workspaces.

Hoarding is not the same as collecting. Collectors look for specific items, such as model cars or stamps, and may organize or display them. People with hoarding disorder often save random items and store them haphazardly. In most cases, they save items that they feel they may need in the future, are valuable, or have sentimental value. Some may also feel safer surrounded by the things they save.

Animal hoarding involves an individual acquiring large numbers (dozens or even hundreds) of animals. The animals may be kept in an inappropriate space, potentially creating unhealthy, unsafe conditions for the animals.

Many people with hoarding disorder also experience other mental disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or alcohol use disorder.

The most common animal victims of hoarders are cats, followed by dogs.
Because recidivism rates for hoarders are almost 100%, the only long-term solution for stopping their behavior is to prevent them from owning animals and to require mental health evaluations and treatment if necessary.

How to tell if someone is hoarding animals:

Keeps an abnormally large number of animals;
Fails to provide minimal nutrition, veterinary care, shelter or sanitation;
Fails to recognize the devastating impact of this neglect; and
Can’t stop himself/herself from repeating this behavior.

According to Tufts Veterinary Medicine, hoarding of any sort poses significant health concerns for both occupants and nearby residents. These include fire hazards from extreme clutter, decaying or damaged electrical wiring, and blockage of exits from dwelling; lack of running water and electricity; infestation from rodents or insects; and the potential for spread of zoonotic diseases.

What can you do if your neighbor or someone you know is hoarding animals?

Contact the Animal Legal Defense Fund
Aldf.org

Visit vet.Tufts.edu
The Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium (HARC)

The goal is to eliminate stereotypes and increase the baseline level of awareness of this behavior among those involved in caring for animals, among government agencies, among professionals involved in public health and mental health, attorneys, and forensic psychologists.