# Animal Hoarding



## Podarcis (Mar 1, 2010)

In common with many people on here, I have a sizeable collection of animals. Also in common with other members, I give adequate care, keep notes, seek veterinary help etc. However, I have sometimes wondered where that dangerous point lies between expanding a collection, maybe to take on unwanted herps or pursue a particular interest, and becoming an animal hoarder.

I was just interested in sounding others out regarding their experiences of this condition and getting the views of a pet-owning community on this. I'd be glad to hear any and all considered opinions.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

I will never keep anything that I cannot manage myself daily.

I did however at one point have rescue 37 animals at one time, mainly because I was known as the "animal guy" and quite literally had animals dumped on my door step. I found that very difficult to keep on top of and had to give it up in the end and move away.

I find pleasure in knowing I can keep what I like, although I don't see a problem with keeping large collections of animals providing that time can be spent looking after them properly.

I admit this has always puzzled me, I know some people with large collections will do it in a routine, for eg one day they will clean, the snake and give them fresh water and maybey even feed them.

Then another day, they might do the spiders, and then the following the lizards etc, although I admit it would depend entirely on the speicies and its requirements.

This is one envy I have of pet rescues, spending time daily and dedicating all of their time and efforts into looking after them, on the other hand many breeders obviously have large amounts of animals and it is understandible that they may appreciate help from a local neighbor etc who shows a similar interest in the animals to help them keep on top of there collections.

but to the common enthusiast my advise is simply this, just keep what you can, do not go over the top because all of the time effort and energy it will soon become a chore rather than a hobby.

admitedly snakes can do without you bothering them for a long time but many lizards for eg do require feeding daily and fresh water offerd daily and I fail to see how people can keep on top of that by themselves? and still have time to spend most of their days on the forum:whistling2:


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## Podarcis (Mar 1, 2010)

Absolutely SS, I think that is the view most people take. I routinise my collection like that, but it doesn't always work out (sometimes snakes aren't hungry etc.). I swear by record cards too. I was really asking about whether people felt that they "knew their limits" or had experience of hoarders.

(Forums can be kept on in the background at work, lizards can't!)


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Podarcis said:


> Absolutely SS, I think that is the view most people take. I routinise my collection like that, but it doesn't always work out (sometimes snakes aren't hungry etc.). I swear by record cards too. I was really asking about whether people felt that they "knew their limits" or had experience of hoarders.
> 
> (Forums can be kept on in the background at work, lizards can't!)


 
Yes quite right, I do know my limits, I know when to stop : victory:
I have been down the over run avenue before and I suppose that is something sometimes people have to deal with by no real intention of their own.

Alot of my animals at the time went to durham universities animal care department, this was after I got them back to something suitible in health, but even then I worked full time too, I had to do this to pay for vets etc and as you can imagine there was days where I was exhausted and I could not give the animals the full attention they deserved, I was quite literally a rescue in need of rescuing myself.

this did not just consist of reptiles either, I had rabbits, gunie pigs, hamsters rats, etc also along with the odd cat now and again, this was by no intention of myself, it was then I decided enough was enough. 

My "own animals" were becomming neglected because of this, it is not an easy situation to get out of.


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## rum&coke (Apr 19, 2009)

I found this an interesting read and actually have see some people on hear fit the description. Taken from Animal Hoarding

The truth is no one knows. Animal hoarding research is in its infancy and although new information is produced on a regular basis there is so much yet to be learned. Factors that can contribute to animal hoarding fall into three categories: personal, household and community. 
*Personal factors* involve the individual and his or her mental and emotional state. Although there exists no official diagnosis for animal hoarding in the DSM-IV-TR (diagnostic manual used by psychologists), researchers have identified diagnostic models to help understand the phenomenon, although not all animal hoarders fit neatly in one model or the other. The models commonly sited are:
*The Addictions Model*
Elements of the addiction model which are found in animal hoarding cases include: preoccupation with the addiction; denial about the addiction and its effects; isolation; claims of persecution; excuses for the behavior; and self-neglect.
*The Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Model*
This model may be used because hoarding of inanimate objects is a primary symptom for many who suffer with OCD, and many animal hoarders are found to have hoarded inanimate objects as well, according to a 2002 study published in _Health and Social Work._ In a similar study (Lockwood, 1994) researchers state that people with this syndrome appear to experience an overwhelming sense of responsibility for preventing harm to animals, and they engage in unrealistic steps to fulfill this responsibility.
*Focal Delusional Disorder Model *
Focal delusional disorder involves a belief system which is out of touch with reality. It could be present in some animal hoarders when there are claims that the animals are well cared for in the face of compelling evidence to the contrary, and may accompany paranoia about officials who are actually trying to help both the hoarder and the animals.
*Attachment Disorder Model*
This model is sometimes used to explain why some animal hoarders prefer relationships with animals rather than other human beings. They see the animals as safer and less threatening than people. Some animal hoarders who grew up in chaotic households may have seen the animals in their lives as the only stable feature.
*Household factors* that may contribute to animal hoarding involve dependent family members, children and the elderly or infirm who are dependent on the animal hoarder and thus reluctant to report the problem or seek help.
Landlords who are aware of the growing animal population may evict the hoarder to protect their property but fail to notify the Humane Society or law enforcement. In this instance, the hoarder moves the menagerie to a new location and continues the hoarding. In some case landlords have impassively given up on their property and thus allowed the hoarding to continue unabated.
*Community factors *that contribute to animal hoarding range from the inaction of people in the community to the enacting of vague legislation. Friends, neighbors and relatives are often the first people to see the signs of animal hoarding before it becomes tragic, however they also may have little information about animal hoarding and thus not fully recognize what they are facing or know what to do about it. Service providers find themselves in the same position when they enter the house of an animal hoarder but fail to contact the Humane Society when they see animals living in crammed quarters with feces encrusted floors and no visible signs of food or water. This is why increasing public awareness is so critical in addressing the problem of animal hoarding.
Legislation to give law enforcement and health departments the muscle needed to take action in suspected cases of animal hoarding is also needed. Some counties have very vague laws which allow for owning an unlimited number pets as long as they are reasonably cared for. The problem is that officials are not allowed access to the inside of the house to determine if animals are cared for, and must demonstrate probable cause to get a search warrant. It sounds reasonable until you hear about an animal hoarding case where over 300 dogs were packed into a tiny two-bedroom house. If the county had laws requiring a shelter license for anyone owning more than ten pets, the owners would have to allow inspection of the home on a periodic basis to check on the welfare of the animals.
Communities contribute to animal hoarding when people want to get rid of their pets but feel guilty about taking them to a shelter where they may be euthanized. Instead, without much investigation, they drop their unwanted pets off with the neighborhood ‘cat lady’ who will refuse no animal in need. Many people will not take the time to find out if she can actually handle another animal and unknowingly contribute the problem.
In a recent release, _Animal Hoarding: Structuring interdisciplinary responses to help people, animals and communities at risk_, by a team from the Hoarding of Animals research Consortium (HARC), Gary Patronek, Lynn Loar, and Jane Nathanson, three types of animal hoarder are discussed. They include:
*The Overwhelmed Caregiver*
These hoarders initially provide adequate care for their animals which they have a strong attachment to; understand that a problem has gradually developed though they may minimize it; may be socially isolated; believe it is caused by some change in their circumstances; have fewer issues with authority figures and accepting intervention.
*The Rescuer Hoarder*
These hoarders develop a compulsion based on a strong need to rescue animals from possible death or euthanasia; actively acquired 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; avoids authorities.
*Exploiters Hoarders*
These hoarders acquire 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; may come across as charming, articulate, manipulative and cunning; 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.
Some hoarders will not fit neatly into one category or another but instead exhibit characteristics of several categories. Others may be incipient hoarders who exhibit some ability to care for their animals, are aware that a problem is developing but show deteriorating circumstances. While others still, the breeder-hoarder, will initial breed animals for sale become overwhelmed with the volume and care needed and may not fully recognize how the conditions have deteriorated and how it affects the animals.


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## rum&coke (Apr 19, 2009)

Characteristics of animal hoarding
People who accumulate a large number of animals; fail to provide minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation and veterinary care; and fail to act on the deteriorating condition of the animals, the environment, and their own health. 
Hoarders justify their behavior with the view that the animals are surrogate children and that no one else can care for them. They harbor a fear that if they seek help the animals will be euthanized.
More recently, in a publication from the Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium, _Animal Hoarding: Structuring interdisciplinary responses to help people, animals and communities at risk,_ Patronek and his cohorts list four key characteristics:

Failure to provide minimal standards of sanitation, space, nutrition, and veterinary care for the animals
Inability to recognize the effects of this failure on the welfare of the animals, human members of the household, and the environment
Obsessive attempts to accumulate or maintain a collection of animals in the face of progressively deteriorating conditions
Denial or minimization of problems and living conditions for people and animals


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## rum&coke (Apr 19, 2009)

I actually think animal hording is rife in the reptile keeping community and I think it's probably the saddest thing that go's on.
The main things about animal hoarders is they are pretty much always in denial , they think they are doing good and are oblivious to the problems they have. And the saddest part of it all is we as a reptile keeping community do nothing to discourage this behavior or help people with problems. A newbie comes to the site and buys 10 snakes in six months and most of the time we congratulate them and tell them well done. 
I think this is because people with animal hording problems who keep reptiles go unnoticed for so long. For example if you was hording dogs or cats people up your street would notice and the authority's would step in, but if you was hording snakes who would know you had 100's of snakes in your spare room?
I do think this is a problem in the reptile keeping community and we all care about reptiles and are quick to slate a bad shop or lynch a person for keeping lizards on sand or snakes without bulb guards or stats, but when it comes to hording and neglect on a massive scale we pretty much congratulate the person and are blind to the problems.


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## Podarcis (Mar 1, 2010)

Good points, and thanks for popping up that info.

You also raised some of my favourite myths and I must confess;
I keep lizards on sand.
I keep snakes without stats (or, indeed, any extra heat source).
I have bulbs without guards.
I use pine chips as substrate.

All are fine in the right circumstances.


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## Ophexis (Feb 19, 2010)

Hoarding only becomes an issue when the animals begin to suffer as a result, i.e. care becomes compromised, vet care goes amiss, etc.
I don't see a problem with people buying 10 new reptiles in the space of a few months - as long as those animals can be cared for just as well as the preexisting collection with no compromise in care. 
When it becomes too much to deal with - well, that's down to the individual. Some people may be able to maintain hundreds of animals; while others may struggle with just a dozen.


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## Jules Bath (Aug 16, 2011)

*Looking for Animal hoarders for a documentary*

Hello,

I’m writing from Twenty Twenty Television, the award winning production company behind series such as The Choir: With Gareth Malone (BBC Two), World’s Strictest Parents (BBC Three) and Garrow’s Law (BBC One). 

We have a strong track record for thought-provoking documentary programming, and are currently producing a series which aims to tell the untold story of what it’s like to experiece Hoarding. We want to follow someone who owns lot's of animals, but would like to find someone who does not mistreat the animals they own and has enough time and money to look after them properly. 

I would to love to talk to anyone who is interested at more length. 

My number is 02074242020 7795 or you can email me at julesbath@twentytwenty.tv

It would be great to hear from you. 
Thanks very much.
Jules


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