Disorder drives some to get hundreds of pets
February 26,
2004
You may recall the news story a few months ago about the 200 cats that were removed from a New Orleans home. The cats are currently being cared for by a dedicated group of rescuers who are trying to find new families for the cats. The woman who previously owned the cats became overwhelmed with her daily chores of cleaning and feeding. This problem is more common than most people realize.
The Psychiatric Times, a professional journal, reported that “over 600 animals were found in the home of a Los Angeles woman, arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty. Some of the animals were already dead and some so ill they had to be euthanized by Animal Services. The woman insisted the animals were well-cared for and her home was clean, despite physical evidence to the contrary. She refused to voluntarily surrender the animals to animal control. Her fear? They would be euthanized. This woman could be described as an animal hoarder.”
Hoarding is considered a disease. According to Dr. Stephanie LaFarge, the director of Counseling Services for the ASPCA shelter in New York City, “It is an obsessive/compulsive disorder. It is obsessive in that hoarders think about the animals all the time, and it is compulsive in that they can’t bring themselves to solve the problem of their neglect.” Animals living in a hoarder’s home may be suffering from mild to serious neglect. Of course, the hoarder’s intention is to provide loving homes for the animals that they save from the streets or shelters.
A hoarder’s home will often be besieged by trash, urine, and feces. When LA/SPCA Humane Officers enter the home of a hoarder, they bring along the Health Department and Elderly Protection Services (if the hoarder is a senior citizen). Other social services agencies may be called to assist depending on the situation. Once the home is cleaned up and social services provided, the hoarder is released. Unfortunately, according to Tufts University’s Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium (H.A.R.C.), “evidence does seem to suggest that without a long-term view to the situation and some system of on-going support for the hoarder, recidivism even after prosecution and removal of animals approaches 100%.” H.A.R.C. is collaborative effort involving investigators in the disciplines of psychology, sociology, social work, psychiatry, veterinary medicine, epidemiology, and animal protection.
Although hoarding behavior involves many fields of study, it’s helpful to know where to turn should you encounter it. If you suspect that a neighbor has a large number of animals that she or he is unable to care for, please call the LA/SPCA at
368-5191, ext. 100. The shelter can gather the multi-disciplinary team and begin to solve the problem.
- Laura Maloney
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