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Animal Hoarder.... - 9/10/2009 9:21:52 AM   
SweetNika


Posts: 955
Joined: 4/19/2008
From: Forest Hills, Maryland
Status: offline 		This morning I received an e-mail on the other side, in it I was called a animal hoarder. I was / am baffled by this statement. I openly joke that I have my own personal petting zoo but I have never considered myself an animal hoarder. To me a hoarder doesn’t have the ability to care for the animals responsibly even in the face of starvation and death. When I think of animal hoarders I think of those people on Animal Planet. (lol)I Is my definition of what an animal hoarder is off?

< Message edited by SweetNika -- 9/10/2009 9:22:48 AM >

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Nika

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/10/2009 9:33:23 AM   
LaTigresse


Posts: 26123
Joined: 1/15/2006
Status: offline 		To ME, it is a person that is A.) not in control of their acquisitions, meaning they just cannot help but bring more home, rather than planning for it. B.) causing themself financial hardship to continue to acquire and maintain.

My mother only has one dog but to me she is a hoarder. She cannot afford to properly care for the dog she has and has often had multiple animals that she cannot care for as they should. Animals are not her only compulsion, she hoards food, household items, clothing, toiletries, all sorts of things. Yet she lives on government assistance in subsidized housing with no retirement funds at all, and without enough money to care for herself properly.

I have strong feelings about responsibility, for those in my care and for the consideration of those that may end up caring for me one day.

Only you know if your zoo is a problem. If you are able to care for all of them, all the humans in your household, AND save money for your future.......then it probably isn't a problem. However, if you are putting the acquisition of animals over the above, it's probably an issue.


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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/10/2009 11:32:16 AM   
SweetNika


Posts: 955
Joined: 4/19/2008
From: Forest Hills, Maryland
Status: offline 		LaTigresse,
Thank you for your post. Being called an animal hoarder just caught me off gaurd and made me go WTF. I guess everyone has their own perception of how many is enough. To some 1 is more than enough were to me and my children the animals we have complete our family.

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/10/2009 11:56:43 AM   
Arpig


Posts: 9930
Joined: 1/3/2006
From: Increasingly further from reality
Status: offline 		I don't know about where you live, but here there is a legal limit to the number of dogs and or cats one is allowed to keep.

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/10/2009 12:28:25 PM   
SweetNika


Posts: 955
Joined: 4/19/2008
From: Forest Hills, Maryland
Status: offline 		lol I only have 1 dog and 2 cats so I am well within the legal limit where I live.

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/10/2009 1:13:05 PM   
DesFIP


Posts: 25191
Joined: 11/25/2007
From: Apple County NY
Status: offline 		Presently catless, only one dog and a horse but he's offsite.

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/10/2009 5:51:29 PM   
littlewonder


Posts: 15659
Status: offline 		If people call you the "crazy cat lady" then you're an animal hoarder lol...sorry, couldn't resist.

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/10/2009 5:56:43 PM   
Sunnyfey


Posts: 1436
Joined: 9/21/2007
From: OK
Status: offline 		I have a fish....

his name is Mr.Sushi


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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/10/2009 6:00:56 PM   
Aileen1968


Posts: 6062
Joined: 12/12/2007
From: I miss Shore, New Jersey
Status: offline 		Between the two houses we have a dog named Clyde, two kittens named Phineas and Ferb, a chinese dwarf hamster named Hammy, a beta fish named Emily, a red eyed tree frog named Sticky and two guinea pigs named Lulu and Lola.

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/10/2009 6:01:49 PM   
lovingpet


Posts: 4270
Joined: 6/19/2005
Status: offline 		I have to agree it is primarily about being able to adequately care for the animals and others for whom you are responsible. If you are, then this is not hoarding. I have seen situations where people had dozens, even hundreds of a certain species and it still wasn't hoarding because they were perfectly capable of maintaining them in a healthy way and supporting themselves. Hoarders often perseverate on one particular species and usually truly love the animals, but do not see that they are harming them. Often there is some deeper issues going on (moderate to severe mental illness in a lot of cases). There's some good information on the animal hoarder profile available if you are interested or concerned. It is fairly well studied by those who are in the fields of animal care, rescue, or police animal control units. What I've said here is very general and doesn't apply to all, but there are some pretty specific traits to look out for. I got an earful of an education about this from my oldest UM since he is deeply involved in animal rescue even at a young age. I checked his facts and he was on the money. Just something to research if you are interested.

lovingpet

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/10/2009 8:40:07 PM   
Toppingfrmbottom


Posts: 6528
Joined: 6/7/2009
Status: offline 		Yup, but that doesn't stop people and as long as the animals are not so great in number it attracts negative attention and or brings the problem to light then there's nobody to stop you from having as many animals as your little heart desires. Until someone finds out that is.
quote:

ORIGINAL: Arpig

I don't know about where you live, but here there is a legal limit to the number of dogs and or cats one is allowed to keep.

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/11/2009 2:29:39 AM   
soul2share


Posts: 7084
Joined: 12/18/2007
From: somewhere out there.....
Status: offline 		Well, I have 4 cats, and my friends tell me I'm in training to be the Crazy Cat Lady.....I just tell them I was crazy long before the cats came along!  I joke about spending more on them than I do on myself, but hey, I can, they are my babies, and deserve the best.

Altho, some people just don't get it.....they've probably never had the joy that a pet brings to one.....my boys meet me at the door every day when I come in, they love me (almost) unconditionally....c'mon, they ARE cats, after all.....and my newly adopted little girl actually loves to hug....she puts her little paws around my neck and rubs her little face all over mine.  I even bought a king sized bed so we'd all have room....how's that for crazy? 

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/11/2009 2:49:23 AM   
hizgeorgiapeach


Posts: 1672
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: littlewonder

If people call you the "crazy cat lady" then you're an animal hoarder lol...sorry, couldn't resist.



Damn - I'm in trouble then LOL.  A couple of my friends call me the "crazy cat lady" of our group.  I have four.  All of them extremely well cared for, pampered, cosseted, and spoiled.  (Currently 1 is alseep on my bed, 1 is asleep on the back of the couch next to my shoulder, 1 is curled up on the end table staring at me, and 1 is out roaming the back yard having been let out when I got up an hour ago and couldn't get back to sleep.) But to the friends who don't like cats - not even one - having 4 in my home qualifies me for the title.  Come to think of it, the same person that calls me that Now - called me that when I only had 1!  He hates cats - has told me repeatedly that the only use he has for cats is as living targets for shooting practice (primarily cause he knows such comments piss me off.)  So his opinion doesn't count.  Same person doesn't seem to mind my 100gal tank full of tropical freshwater fish. (1 Bala shark, 3 demis, a couple of large plecostomous to keep the tank clean, and a dozen various colors of another breed that I can't recall the name of but they're beautiful.)
 
To me the whole Hoarder issue comes down to Ability to Responcibly care for the animals without harm to self or other humans.  And that responcibility extends not just to feeding, watering, cleaning up after, and adequate vet care, but to neutering/spaying so they don't Become a problem.  My girly was spayed when I got her as a rescue from the pound.  The boy I got at the same time, neutered.  The other two boys I have - one is to young yet to neuter, but it's already been planned for, the other has been scheduled for neutering now that he's finally recovered from the problems he was having when it was originally supposed to be done.  (The vet and I agreed, it was better to put it off - since him being intact wouldn't cause me a problem with an unexpected litter - than it was to risk the trauma to him while he wasn't completely well.)

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/11/2009 4:34:48 AM   
SweetNika


Posts: 955
Joined: 4/19/2008
From: Forest Hills, Maryland
Status: offline 		My dog and one of my cats are sleeping on my bed and the other cat is in my window cell watching the rain, wanting to go outside. (lol) All of my animals including my guinea pig are spayed or neutered except my chinchilla, but they were all obtained from rescue groups but her. I would go even further than saying one needs to provice the basic needs like food, water, vet care and say that adaquet care means interaction w/ the animals on a normal and consistant basis. I know every single one of my animals even my newest addition (licorice the chinchilla) enjoy that and perhaps even crave that interaction.

I have come to the conclusion that some people are simply not animal people, so they will NEVER understand how the pets in my household are a part of our family or how they have helped my special needs son or even myself when i was in and out the hospital. The hardest thing for me was having an emergency plan for the animals incase I went back in the hospital but even that is in writing.

< Message edited by SweetNika -- 9/11/2009 4:38:28 AM >

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/11/2009 5:44:24 AM   
lovingpet


Posts: 4270
Joined: 6/19/2005
Status: offline 		Yup, the proper socialization of the animals is very important. We have taken in a few that were from hoarder situations that simply had not a clue how to behave in a home, with people. or with other animals. Some were targeted by the other animals and became withdrawn and reactive. Others became extremely aggressive. Some just lacked, shall we say, manners. LOL. All of them we were able to eventually rehabilitate, but it is sad that we even had to in the first place. Most of them had behavior problems, were sick in some way, behind on vaccines, and none ever came to us spayed or neutered. If you are making your way in the world just fine and the little ones are spoiled rotten and getting the best care, then I don't think you have anything to worry about when it comes to hoarding. I have much experience with hoarded animals and none of them boasted such a great environment.

lovingpet

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/11/2009 6:18:44 AM   
DesFIP


Posts: 25191
Joined: 11/25/2007
From: Apple County NY
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: SweetNika
or how they have helped my special needs son or even myself when i was in and out the hospital.


Seconding that strongly. Having a special needs child, animals are essential. I haven't gotten this dog nor the previous one certified as therapy animals but they are. The first horse when ready for retirement went to a therapeutic riding academy where he could do what he does best, push kids to their utmost when they;re ready for it, cover for them when they aren't, and just love them with his head in their lap when they need to cry.

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/11/2009 8:18:59 AM   
Toppingfrmbottom


Posts: 6528
Joined: 6/7/2009
Status: offline 		I watch a show called hoarders, and one woman had  so many cats she couldn't tell how many she had, it turns out she had76 cats, and 35 of those 76 died in her home because of sickness and disease and over crowding, and the remaining cats would just eat the dead cats, so you didn';t have time for the smell and decay to happen.  She had no idea they had died.  3 of the  ones alive had to be put to sleep because they had a serious and infectious lung disease, however she did not want to hurt them, she loved every one of them, and she thought she was helping these cats, because they were cats people had dumped and abandoned and they had no home and no place to go and so she just began caring for them one day, and day by day year by year it grew so out of control, from strays breeding and leaving those kittens, and animal control came out a lot and said you have to many animals and she said take them then you're free to, and they said no it's your mess your problem we're not cleaning it up for you, you did this to yourself.

It got so bad the colony of cats destroyed her home, they tore out huge chunks in the mattress sides to live in the mattress, they shredded  all her belongings, things got put into boxes because there was so much stuff, and the cats would get inside the boxes and live amongst the things, there by destroying it all.

Animal control finally did come out and when they did it was on official business and they were looking at throwing this 56 year old women into jail and fining her a huge fee for animal cruelty and animal neglect and abuse. She co operated in allowing them to remove every last one of her animals so they didn't press the charges, but it was a sad case.

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/11/2009 8:49:57 AM   
DavanKael


Posts: 3072
Joined: 10/6/2007
Status: offline 		I don't think there is a particular definition of an animal hoarder, however, gladly, it is becoming more recognized which hopefully saves some animals and also gets some people some attention that needs to be brought their way (Be it legal or mental health or whatever). 
SweetNika, I am not sure how many/what types of animals you have or your means, ability, or space within which to care for them.  I do see note the town in which you live, so having a lot of animals in a county that, despite a lot of growth, is still a mix of suburban and rural may be a mitigating factor...ie: country vs city setting. 
Having been active in animal welfare for many, many years, I've seen/heard of all sorts of weird extremes.  I will say, too, that on the rescue lists to which I subscribe, instances of animals needing re-homing due to hoarding situations does seem to be becoming more and more common. 
I like to think of myself as a pragmatist (On some things) and if an animal is going to a reasonably decent home rather than being killed, I'm groovy with that.  I have often argued with other animal welfare folk who would not place an animal somewhere they don't believe is 'ideal'. 
The worst for this 'ideal' idea is People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, whose head person (I can't remember her name and I don't want to look it up lest I run across more things about that organization that anger me) said that she'd rather an animal be killed than put in a less-than-ideal situation: and they back up that dogma with having a kill-rate of animals taken into their care higher than most of the high-kill shelters in the United States.  It appalls me that most people think of that organization when they think of animal welfare: imo, they, as an organization, are insane and I can not believe there was not more public outcry when they were caught incorrectly euthanizing animals and dumping hte bodies in public dumpsters...the statement I referenced above was from that incident. 
I have 11 animals in my household at this time: 6 cats, 2 African clawed frogs, 2 Leopard geckos, 1 Box turtle.  They are all rescues.  I believe in my animals living as well as I do, thus I do well by them yet everything isn't always ideal.  That's my brand of pragmatism.  I also believe my commitment to them is until they are I cease to be alive: in my doomsday scenario/plans, my animals are always considered and were I to bite it before they, arrangements have been made for their care.  My animals (And, I don't subscribe to the idea of ownership of animals, moreso stewardship) are a part of my family and I am joyous that that is so.  :> 
  Davan


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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/11/2009 9:30:06 AM   
hizgeorgiapeach


Posts: 1672
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: DavanKael
My animals (And, I don't subscribe to the idea of ownership of animals, moreso stewardship) are a part of my family and I am joyous that that is so. 


For those of us with cats - whether it be 1 or 1000 - no, we never own them.  We are owned BY them.
 
(what's the Real difference between cats and dogs?  Dogs have Owners - Cats have STAFF!)

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RE: Animal Hoarder.... - 9/11/2009 10:15:10 AM   
DavanKael


Posts: 3072
Joined: 10/6/2007
Status: offline 		So true, hizgeorgiapeach, so true!!! 
  Davan
(Who is dispatching herself to get said Masters and Mistresses wet food as despite their plentitude of dry food, act as if they are being starved to death when they don't have both at their disposal...long-suffering are they.  :>  ) 

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