Do you know, or are you an "animal hoarder"?

Question

I am interested in understanding how it all got started and what you are doing to remedy the situation.

Answer 1

The difference between animal hoarder and responsible pet owner is how you treat the animals that you call your own.

When you have many pets that are not cared for properly such as being in unsanitary conditions (feces in cages), not feed regulary and being mistreated you have become a hoarder.

If you care for your mulitple pets with care and attention and are responsible for your pets then you're just a responsible pet owner.

Hoarding probably starts with a few animals and then they probably breed. They may attract strays if the pets are dogs and let loose to run the yard. They'll be breeding and strays and eventually you'll have a pack of dogs.

I worked at an Animal Shelter for four years and we've come across many hoarders. We've never took a calm stable animal from a hoarding environment because animals do not act like that in a hoarding environment.

Hoarding doesn't just end at cats and dogs - it can mulitple to birds, hamsters or rabbits. We confiscated many hamsters from hoarding situations. The hamsters were emotionally damaged so much that they were attacking each other for food. They didn't have enough cage space, food or water supplied to them. There were 15 hamsters in a 20 gallon cage. It was such a bad situation.

The only way you can remedy the situation is to take away these animals from the environment. Unfortuantly, many of these animals are not adpotable since they were emotionally, mentally and sometimes physically damaged during their experience. It is no win-win situation for everyone involved.

People should spay/neuter their pets to stop them from breeding with each other or strays. People should only take on as many pets they can handle (walking pets and non-walking pets). They should be able to provide a healthy environment for their pets and be able to keep them happy, fed and balanced. People have limits - they just ignore it sometimes.

Answer 2

I am not an animal hoarder. But i know a few people who might be considered an animal hoarder. A veterinarian i work for has 7 dogs, 5 cats, 3 bunnies, 1 bird, and a few other small pets, like rats and guinea pigs. She got started when she started helping out at an animal rescue group. All of her pets were in need of a home, and if not homed, they would be put down. She loved these animals, and could not let that happen, so she took them. I think that is how most of them get started, they try to help as many animals as they can. While this vet can handle it, as she devotes ALL of her time and money into her animals, a lot of people can't handle it. I have seen a few people who just get TOO many animals. They feel that they are helping the animal by saving their life, but they sometimes don't know when they have too many, and can't afford, or properly care for the animals. While they believe they are helping these animals, sometimes they are doing more harm than good, because they just can't handle that amount.

Answer 3

I have 3 cats and 2 dogs and that's my limit. I like to have more than one of each because then they have a buddy and one of their own kind when I'm not home. I make sure each of my pets has individual attention every day if I had more pets I wouldn't have time to do this. I couldn't afford anymore pets...I want them to have everything they need to have a happy, healthy life. I have taken in animals on a short term basis until the humane society has room for them. I think ppl keep to many animals because taking them to a shelter looks sad and pitiful, it makes them feel bad like they are abandoning this animal.....but they will find a good home for all of the animals. I think the ones in the shelters are the lucky ones ... at least they are there being cared for until the right family comes along. It becomes hoarding when the animal is lacking care and attention.

Answer 4

I'm quite good i have 4 pet rats, and 1 tarantula, if i had the money i would have a lot more believe me,

when i was growing up at home we had 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 cockatoo's 2 gerbils, tropical fish and 2 ponds that also had loads of gold fish,
i guess that is where i get it from i grew up with animals and i love them, in the future i will be increasing my hoard with more invertebrates IE prey mantis maybe a few more tarantulas i also want some lizards

Answer 5

Animal hoarding is a disorder. Almost like OCD. Animal hoarders can't even provide the minimum care of their animals and the animals are most often neglected and sick. They are often also living in filthy households.

Answer 6

i have six dogs and a cat does that count?
i think it started when my mom said, "when your an adult you can as many dogs as you want, then i became a dog groomer and had a few dogs dumped on me that i couldnt just take to the shelter, and now, i groom spca dogs for free, advocate for spay nueter, and badger people who arent responsible with thier pets...

in all seriousness, i have encountered quite a few, and its really aweful how demented they become, and there have been times where the person is crying because you are taking them and thanking you for taking thier animals away at the same time.

Answer 7

15 hamsters? they aren't that hard to take care of, I take care of almost 20 goats and 8 angora rabbits, a dog and 4 cats, and all my animals are perfectly happy. I devote many of my saturdays to triming hooves or groming and I work all summer to keep them happy. I've learned that if my animals are happy I'm happy. and I hate seeing abused animals and i refuse to let my animals ever look like that. I hope that other people follow my example and just take care of thier animals

Answer 8

Im a collector.