What do you consider an animal hoarder?

[Beekissed]

I agree.....but, unfortunately, he is related to everyone in the county....so no help there either. I once snuck up on their place to check on a calf that had been down(no longer able to stand after a bout of bloat) for longer than a month.....she had been bringing it feed and water (sweet feed, mind you!) and the poor thing was splayed out like a frog, in feces and urine. If I had known how bad it was I would have brought something to kill it with. About a half a month later, they were, once again, trying to put it in a sling to get it to stand. Now, keep in mind that everyone was telling them it was much too late (they just couldn't bear to kill the poor sweet thing!). As she was lifting it up, her fingers sunk into the wound in its chest up to her hand and thick, green pus poured out all over her arm and shirt. They decided then that they would have to kill it!

A couple of days later they did. I had already offered to come and kill it for them a month previously. That is one of the more "mild" stories I could tell you!

 

[seriousbill]

Beekissed's post is like my worst nightmare. But, as to definitions of hoarding, well,

here's some info. Good stuff, too.

What is the definition of animal hoarding?

The following criteria are used to define animal hoarding:


More than the typical number of companion animals.
Inability to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter, and veterinary care, with this neglect often resulting in starvation, illness, and death.
Denial of the inability to provide this minimum care and the impact of that failure on the animals, the household, and human occupants of the dwelling.

http://www.tufts.edu/vet/cfa/hoarding/abthoard.htm


But what I thought was interesting was this. Here's a breakdown of three different types of hoarder:

Overwhelmed caregiver
• Some awareness,
more reality-based
• More passive
acquisition
• Problems triggered
by change in
circumstance
• Unable to problemsolve
effectively
• Animals are family
members
• Likely to be socially
isolated
• Self-esteem
to role as caregiver
• Fewer issues
authorities

Rescuer hoarder
*Mission leading to
unavoidable
compulsion
*Fear of death
*More active vs.
passive acquisition
*S/he is the only one
who can provide
care
*Rescue-followed-by
adoption becomes
rescue-only care
*May have extensive
network of enablers
or group
*Not as likely to live
with the animals

Exploiter hoarder
*Tends to have
sociopathic
characteristics
*Lacks empathy for
people or animals
*Indifferent to harm
caused
*Rejects outsiders’
concerns
*Superficial charm
and charisma
*Lacks guilt/remorse
*Manipulative and
cunning
*Adopts role of
expert with need to
control

http://www.tufts.edu/vet/cfa/hoarding/pubs/masshousing.pdf​

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

Wow. Guess I'm a hoarder to him.

However, we can afford all our animals and they are all spoiled rotten.

 

[jjthink]

Beekissed, I'm so sorry. What you've observed is so horrific, so utterly cruel and I can imagine how this must weigh on you.

What happened to that calf is prolonged senseless torture; just imagining the agony that poor animal went through is enough to send me into orbit. The entire situation for all of these animals has to be brought to an end without further delay. What about regional or national humane type organizations - Humane Society etc. - people not related to the county - I would call immediately if not sooner and also tell them the name of the shelters that allow her to adopt helter skelter with obviously no proper screening.

I know it's your sister but I would not wait another 24 hours to expose this. If no one helps you - I believe they will though - are these people going away on a trip anytime soon?If so, I wouldn't hesitate to remove all the animals in their absence, a huge undertaking, I realize.

So very sorry - I know this is a terrific burden for you but you will be doing such an important and compassionate thing by freeing these innocent beings from their hell on earth...
JJ

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

Quote:

Well this started out about 3 years ago...
We got 4 and I stressed only 4 snails from a teacher at school who did a class project. They raised the snails from eggs until the end of the year...
Anyway..So we got the 4 snails. About a year later we had a bunch of babies...We gave away about 200 snails to others, and put about another 300 in the turtle/fish pond...Some were eatten by the turtle. Others survived....
Another year passed and we had a 50 gal. fish tank with baby snails everywhere...
Again we gave away 200 or more snails. Then put another 200 or more in the turtle tank again...
This year they haven't had any babies...
We still have the original 4 from 3 years ago...(What I was told from the teacher we got them from was all the others had died...) We must of gotten the healthy and fertile snails....

We have about 300 in the turtle/fish pond right now. The original 4 in the fish tank. And another 200 or so in another fish tank...
Our pond and tanks are so clean...The water in those I swear is cleaner than the water that comes out of the tap. Snails do a wonderful job of keeping it clean...

Anyone want some snails....

 

[tfpets]

Quote:
Thats what mine say too! Yesterday the pets got giant pancakes and oatmeal. The human boys had cold cereal

We only have three acres and I provide for all of the pets feeding needs, and any spare time I have I spend with my pets, taking care of them, cleaning their housing, and feeding them treats. I work full time, so I am up late in evening on Weekdays, making sure everyone is taken care of.
I guess I'm a selective collector? I can/will say no if I cannot meet an animals needs, for the lifetime of the animal.
When people know you love animals, and/or have alot of pets - they assume you'll take care of theirs for the rest of their lives when they want to get rid of them? People who cannot take care of their pets for one reason or another - such as moving or life changes - will sure pressure you to give their pets a home? It's a serious guilt trip.

If a person has no self control or ability to set limits with others, it is very easy to get overwhelmed.

1 Llama (abandoned in a field for a year)
20 Ducks (Some from rescue, others purchased)
70 Chickens (Auction, craiglist, breeders, etc)
1 Oscar (fish) - petstore, large and hard to sell
1 Potbelly Pig - Animal Shelter detainee - neglect
2 Pygmy Goats - private sale/breeder
2 Rabbits - "Free to good home" we wont eat them
1 F****t - Smuggled/sold by disenchanted owner
1 Leopard Gecko-neglect- taken from family member
8 Cockatiels - Capitol City Bird Society - adopt a bird
3 Parakeets - petstore 9-10 years ago
2 Doves - co-worker needed home, 6 yrs ago
1 Parrotlet - Capitol City Bird Society - adopt a bird
3 dogs - 1 owner moved, 1 petstore, 1 breeder
2 cats- 1 Animal Shelter - older cat pgm- 1 coworker
5 kittens - Isolating felines in heat does NOT work!

No one is perfect, and hoarders usually have multiple mental impairments. Our animals need us to have better judgement than them.

 

[NewHopePoultry]

To me an animal hoarder is someone who has more pets then what they can properly care for.
Someone can have 100 pets and not be an hoarder if they care for them.
To me someonewith just 5 or 6 pets can be a hoarder if they cant care for them,but think they are the only ones who can.
Everyone has a limiot how what and how many they can care for.

 

[Stumpy]

Asher, I agree with your definition completely. My mother was one of these. She could not see that "rescuing" every stray dog she saw, but not taking proper care of them. They got fed and that was about it. Thankfully, we got her moved and she is unable to add to her collection. She doesn't realize what an ordeal and burden her animals became for us.

What's wrong with rescuing scores of animals if you can afford to house and care for them properly? My DH and I (middle-aged) have 7 dogs, 5 of which are strays we rescued, and we about maxed out on ability and expense.

 

[Lunachick]

Yikes, beekissed I wouldn't be able to stand that, sister or not. How do you cope?

 

[dutchhollow]

Beekissed, get a local TV station involved, and annoymous call will do it, reporters love that stuff. Once it is on TV and the animal control and sherriff are on the spot they will do something about it. If they local tv doesn't work, email someone national (and oprah and ellen are big pet lovers) anyway, once the outside world knows the locals will be forced to deal with it. Sad but true. And, I feel for you knowing what is going on, and not being able to make them stop.