Psycological Motivations Of Animal Hoarding

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Animal Hoarding An animal hoarder is someone who contains so many animals that they can no longer care for the animals (Palika). Most people hear animal hoarding and think of the “cat lady.” Animal hoarding takes up all available time, money, and emotion, squeezing family and friends out of the picture. Hoarding is one of the most horrific forms of animal cruelty, affecting tens of thousands of animals (mostly cats and dogs) in communities nationwide (“Animal Hoarding”). With about seven hundred new cases of animal hoarding recorded each year, more laws need to be passed, and communities need to be more aware of people who hoard animals and get them and their animals the proper care they need (“How Animal Hoarding Develops”). Animal hoarders believe that they have done nothing wrong, that their home is clean and that the animals would not be alive without their personal care (Nt. Humane Society). Individuals that are hoarders, claim that their animals are not ill, even with obvious signs that the animals are in distress or sick (Animal Hoarding). The sometimes hundreds of dog or cat victims of a hoarder show signs of abuse such as “severe malnutrition, untreated medical conditions including, open sores, cancers, and advanced dental and eye diseases, and severe psychological distress” (Animal Hoarding). Dr Patronek, a professor at Tufts University, conducted a study in 1999 stating that hoarders see their animals as children and that no one else can care for them (Characteristics of Animals Hoarding). Hoarders also think if they seek help then their animals will be euthanized. Randall Lockwood the Humane Society of The United State’s vice president for research and educational outreach says that, “hoarding is very often a symptom of a greater illness, such as obsessive- compulsive disorder [anxiety disorder]. For most hoarders, it is likely that their actions are

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