By Nick Engelfried
When deputies went into a home in Spring Hill, Florida where they had received a tipoff about a possible animal hoarding situation, they say they found almost 100 pets living in filth and suffering from neglect. The officers claim to have discovered about thirty bird cages with inches of seed and feces on the floor, housing parrots and parakeets. They also reported finding two dogs with falling out hair, a dozen undernourished cats, and other animals including rabbits, fish, and reptiles. The house in question is alleged to have been filthy inside, infested with spiders and roaches.

No animal should have to live in conditions like those described in this recent case, which is now the subject of a criminal animal neglect investigation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. Unfortunately, it is far from a unique scenario.

Every year, an astonishing 250,000 animals are estimated to be trapped in hoarding situations, with the Animal Humane Society reporting that its agents respond to about 25 hoarding cases annually. Unfortunately, many other cases go unaddressed because they are never reported to organizations who have the resources and expertise to help. Most of the time this means large numbers of helpless creatures remain confined in buildings that reek of filth, without adequate food, water, or veterinary care.

It’s natural to feel outrage at the condition of the animals in question–and, indeed, in any hoarding situation the first priority should be to ensure the rescue of the affected pets, who need proper care and attention. However, animal hoarding is a complex issue that is often linked to poor mental health, and in many cases the perpetrators are not fully aware of the consequences of their actions. This makes it an especially challenging problem to address at a societal level.

According to the Animal Humane Society, “In both law enforcement and the mental health community, there’s growing recognition that we need to approach hoarding cases with more empathy and less judgement.” Animal hoarding is now considered to be a psychiatric illness, although its exact causes can be multifaceted. Compulsive disorders, depression, anxiety, and other factors may be at play in a given case. And, as hard to believe as it may seem, often the perpetrators seem to genuinely feel they are helping the animals in question.

According to the National Library of Medicine, animal hoarders are defined by three characteristics: they fail to provide the bare minimum of care for animals in their homes, they don’t take action to address problems like disease and malnutrition, and they do not fully understand the negative consequences of their actions. This makes animal hoarding different from other situations where large numbers of animals are kept under inhumane conditions–for instance, puppy mills that breed and churn out as many dogs as possible for profit.

Rather than being motivated by a desire to make money, most animal hoarders don’t understand what it means to take proper care of animals. In fact, many hoarders claim to be operating animal “rescue” operations, and may honestly think they are giving good homes to pets who would otherwise be on the streets. Still, these good intentions don’t take away from the fact that the conditions the animals are subjected to are anything but humane.

The sad reality of most hoarding situations is that the perpetrators feel an overwhelming need to keep and accumulate large numbers of animals–and this personal need becomes so strong that it causes the person to become delusional about the impact on the animals themselves. The actions of hoarders can literally be deadly, with some pets succumbing to starvation or disease before they can be rescued. Even those who are eventually seized and taken to a better home may suffer permanent physical or psychological trauma.

So, what is to be done about the phenomenon of animal hoarding? First, in any given hoarding situation the affected animals should be rescued as swiftly as possible. Second, it’s important to understand that simply punishing the perpetrators with fines or imprisonment will fail to solve the real root cause of the issue. What most animal hoarders really need is to receive psychiatric help that addresses the mental health issues they are struggling with, while also being prevented from acquiring more animals they will be unable to care for.

Of course, for an instance of animal hoarding to be addressed, it needs to first be detected–and this can be more challenging than it might seem. Hoarders are often socially isolated, keeping themselves and their animals shut away behind closed doors. Neighbors may be unaware of the number of animals on the property or the conditions in which they are living. However, there are some signs to look for.

Strong odors of decay, animals crowding in windows, or houses where dogs or other animals can be heard but are infrequently seen may indicate the presence of a hoarding situation. If you suspect hoarding, organizations like the Animal Humane Society, ASPCA, and PAWS are set up to help. Contact your local chapter or office of one of these groups and get their advice on the situation. They may send workers in to investigate–and, if a hoarding situation is verified, they will attempt to get the owner to voluntarily surrender their animals to better care.

While extreme hoarding cases may necessitate calling in the police, this is often not necessary. Organizations like those listed above have the expertise to deal with animal hoarding in a way that prioritizes the needs of the animals while also recognizing the mental health issues the owner may be dealing with. Letting them handle the situation–and allowing them to make an informed decision about whether to call the police–is often best for everyone involved.

We can also all help combat animal hoarding by fostering communities where people feel connected to others and have access to the mental health resources they need. Animal hoarders frequently feel cut off from other people, and are less likely to engage in the behavior if they are connected to others. In addition, in communities where people care for and check on each other, instances of animal hoarding are much more likely to be quickly detected.

In the end, animal hoarding is a pervasive issue that is most effectively addressed in a caring society where both animals and people receive the help and compassion they need. Understanding its true causes is the first step toward eradicating this terrible problem for good.

Photo credit: Stefan Brockling

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Nick Engelfried Writes About Animals, the Environment, and Conservation for the ForceChange network