Many animal hoarders become sick because they are living in such horrible sanitary conditions: they are more susceptible to zoonotic diseases such as rabies, and they neglect themselves and their families because they are so involved in caring for their animals.Animal hoarders also face potential conviction by the law because of their compulsive actions. Many cities have limits on how many pets per household and animal protection and cruelty laws. The definition of hoarding is the acquisition of, and failure to discard, a large number of possessions that appear to be useless or of limited value that clutter living spaces enough that they can not be used for the activities for which they were designed causing significant distress or impairment in functioning (Squalor Survivors, 2008).Frost estimates that 2% to 3% of the population has OCD, and up to a third of those exhibit hoarding behavior (Squalor Survivors, 2008). That is an exceptionally high percentage of people suffering from this strange disease.
Studies show that people who hoard say they do it for sentimental value, utility value and aesthetic value. They feel very protective over their belongings and have a hard time letting go of possessions (HelpGuide, 2010). People who specifically hoard animals often have a great love for animals and nature. They believe that by housing as many animals as they can they are helping them live happy and safe lives.Hoarders feel anxious, violated, and angry when others try to help them downsize their collections and need extensive therapy to overcome their hoarding.
OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is the unwanted recurrent thoughts, actions, or impulses and repetitive behaviors and actions that a person feels driven to perform (Obsessive Compulsive Anonymous World Services, 1999). People suffering from OCD perform a variation of strange rituals everyday uncontrollably. There are different types of compulsive behavior people with OCD display.For example, hoarders fear that something bad will happen if they throw anything away or give anything away. They compulsively hoard things that they don not need or use.
These victims of OCD can become obsessed with not only performing actions, but with keeping objects and possessions. People with hoarding behavior also may be suffering from a variety of other disorders. Many hoarders have problems with anxiety, separation anxiety, and attachment disorder (HelpGuide, 2010). Someone with separation anxiety and attachment disorder feels afraid to be apart from a certain person or object or is fearful of being alone.
People with these attachment disorders or other attachment problems have difficulty connecting to others and managing their own emotions. This results in a lack of trust and self-worth, a fear of getting close to anyone, anger, and a need to be in control (HelpGuide, 2010). Hoarders may also suffer from delusional disorder and dementia. Dementia is a loss of contact with reality including symptoms such as memory loss, impaired judgment, loss of communication skills, paranoia, and hallucinations (HelpGuide, 2010).Animal hoarders specifically may also suffer from a bizarre obsession called zoophilia in which they are sexually attracted and attached to their animals. All of these illnesses are very disturbing and serious and their combination with OCD results in this strange hoarding behavior.
It is likely that up to a quarter million animals—250,000 per year—are victims of hoarders (Dogtime, 2010). Animal hoarding cases are growing exponentially through the recent years. An especially impressive case of hoarding is the case of Barbara Erickson who had 552 dogs removed from her residence in Harper, Oregon.Barbara and Robert Erickson face 551 misdemeanor charges of animal neglect and one charge of felony criminal mischief.
The dogs were suffering from malnutrition, various illnesses, and neglect and about 20% percent of the dogs died (Arluke, 2009). This shocking case can be seen repeated over and over again on the new series Animal Cops on Animal Planet (Animal Planet, 2010). On the show the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) in different areas is constantly confronting new cases of neglect and abuse including some very impressive hoarding cases.The animals found in these hoarding houses are almost always very sick and neglected. They can suffer from malnutrition, a variety of diseases, and unsanitary living conditions. Often these animals have not been to a veterinarian for an examination in their entire lives.
They can have overgrown nails, matting of the fur, tape and heart worms, infections, broken bones, and other serious complications that their owner overlooks. Hoarding houses are filthy environments with putrid smell and the hoarders often collect other things besides their pets that crowd the house further.The owners of mass numbers of pets simply cannot provide all the things needed to keep a pet happy and healthy. Hoarders put themselves through almost as much danger and suffering as their pets. These people are living in horrible conditions with all of these animals and are susceptible to many diseases.
They can have respiratory problems due to the fur and dander along with animal carried diseases like rabies. They also have to deal with the fleas and ticks that are infesting there pets and home. Because their homes are in such bad condition the hoarders can become socially isolated from other people.They start to neglect themselves and can have poor hygiene and nutrition. Although animal hoarders are suffering with psychological illness and may mean no harm to their pets, their actions sometimes result in penalties by the law.
When a case becomes known to the authorities or the SPCA the perpetrator usually is given a warning and a time span to get help for themselves and their animals and to downsize their pet collection. If they fail to do so they will be charged with animal cruelty and actions will be made against them.Most states’ criminal animal cruelty statutes define a minimum standard of care which requires that an animal caretaker provide water, food, shelter and veterinary care. (Dogtime, 2010). Violations of the requirements of state animal neglect laws are almost always misdemeanor-level violations (Dogtime, 2010). These misdemeanor convictions often result in hefty fines, community service, and possible jail sentence as well as the seizer of their animals.
The severity of animal abuse laws and penalties vary from states to state, for example, Washington and California have felony-level provisions for extreme animal neglect (Dogtime, 2010).Animal hoarding affects everyone in some way. These hoarders not only hurt their animals but they harm themselves, their families, and their communities. Hoarders have many physical and psychological consequences for their actions.
A person who hoards is isolating themselves from the rest of society and is probably a very sick and unhappy individual. People who are struggling with hoarding need to understand and know that there is help and hope for recovery. There are many psychiatrist and programs that specialize in helping people with hoarding issues.
