Hoarding can affect nearly any type of animal -- from the domestic variety, such as dogs, cats and birds, to farm animals and even exotic wildlife. In fact, according to the Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium (HARC), it's quite common for a hoarder to house multiple species under one roof, and the toll this pathological behavior takes on the welfare of these creatures is nothing short of devastating. The animals of a hoarder usually have a multitude of health problems, such as respiratory infections, open wounds and dehydration, in addition to the physical and mental strain of living in cramped, unsanitary environments. Ultimately, for many of these animals, the future holds starvation and death.
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) estimates that, each year, about 250,000 animals end up in hoarding situations. If you want to do something to help the pets that are part of this staggering statistic, here are five ways to get started.
5. Intervene
Having multiple pets doesn't automatically make someone a hoarder. But if you discover malnourished or ill animals that are living in an unsanitary environment, that's often a tell-tale sign that hoarding is taking place. Once you confirm someone is a hoarder, one of the first and most important ways to help the animals in that situation is by using community resources to intervene and remove them from their hazardous home. This can be a difficult step to take if you know the hoarder personally and don't want to cause him or her further distress or embarrassment, but it's often the only way to ensure the animals' safety and set the hoarder on a path to getting the help he or she needs. Potential resources to help with an intervention include your local police or fire department, veterinarian, humane society, or animal protection group -- they can step in to remove the pets from a hoarder's home by citing state code violations or anti-cruelty laws.
4. Keep in Touch
Once the animals have been removed from the hoarding situation, they often end up at a local shelter or animal rescue organization for potential placement in a new home. However, for these animals, adoptions can be a slow process -- in part because there are so many of them, and also because of their generally unhealthy conditions. "The animals in hoarding situations suffer the same fate as their owners: poor health, malnutrition and disease," says clinical psychologist Karen Cassiday. "They are stressed by having frequent fights over food, and they're also territorial because they live in crowded conditions."
If you're not in a position to adopt one of these animals yourself, you can still check in with the shelter to see how they're doing, and spread the word among family and friends in case any of them are able to give the animals a good home. Social networking site such as Facebook and Twitter can also be a great way to spread that message further, because these tools allow you to share a direct link to the rescue group's adoption information page.
3. Volunteer
Many animal shelters and rescue groups are short on resources to begin with, but they can become even more inundated in the wake of a hoarding intervention. If you have the time, consider volunteering with one of these organizations. This will likely require an application process and perhaps even an orientation session, but once these steps are complete, the actual commitment could prove to be as little as once a month. Your duties could range from helping keep the facilities clean to assisting in the social rehabilitation of the neglected pets, and no matter how often you contribute, your efforts can go a long way toward making a significant impact.
2. Donate
With hectic work and home lives, many people are pressed to find the time to volunteer at a shelter, let alone become a full-time pet parent. However, if your economic situation allows, another way you can help the animals of a hoarder is by making a financial contribution, whether it's a one-time or a monthly donation. You could also consider organizing a fundraiser on a shelter's behalf, which creates an opportunity for others in your community to contribute as well. Just be sure to involve the rescue group or shelter that you'll be raising funds for in your planning -- non-profit statutes often dictate rules for how these groups can accept donations.
1. Educate
According to the HARC, every state has laws against animal cruelty -- including failure to provide a sanitary environment -- that generally cover violations that can be applied to hoarding situations. But only two states, Illinois and Hawaii, have statutes that specifically mention animal hoarding. Research the animal welfare laws in your state, and find out whether there is any pending legislation specifically meant to protect pets of hoarders. If so, support these efforts; if not, contact your local congressman about getting something in the works. Inform others in your community about the dangers of animal hoarding and enlist their support behind anti-cruelty legislation as well. Doing so may not necessarily help an animal that's already been affected by hoarding, but it will go a long way to ensure another pet doesn't meet the same fate down the road.
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