Animal hoarding is a hot topic today. Many people have been found to have way too many animals in their home. Yahoo News reported a story yesterday of a case where nearly 300 animals had to be removed from a house in Dayton, Ohio. They report that, “Sheila Marquis, an officer with the Humane Society of Dayton, Ohio, told Reuters, Workers on Thursday took away 60 pigeons, chickens and roosters from the house in Huber Heights, a suburb of Dayton. They returned the following day for 223 animals including 100 pigeons and 30 rabbits.” “The sheer number of pigeons, which can carry airborne diseases, created a health hazard inside the house, Marquis said.”
The authorities received the call when the neighbors complained of the horrible smell which came from that house. The owner was very cooperative and Marquis believed he just got overwhelmed with so many animals. The cycle began when he started to take pigeons and other animals off of people and organizations that were swamped. “The man will be allowed to keep two dogs and some cats.”
No word has come through to indicate if he will be charged “with animal neglect or abuse, a misdemeanor for the first offense in Ohio. Huber Heights has a ban on farm animals but does not limit the number of pets residents can own.”
The psychology of animal hoarding
Animal hoarding usually starts out as a rescue mission with good intention, but then the animals keep coming into the home and all of a sudden the owners are overwhelmed. According to “Animal Planet,” “Overwhelmed but in denial, animal hoarders are unable to care for their pets but believe no one else can live up to their "high standards" of care. The truth is, (sic) animal hoarding isn't really about the animals at all. It's prompted by a deep-seated emotional trigger that's difficult to pin down and even harder to treat. Many animal hoarders have experienced childhood or adult trauma, and hoarding offers a misguided way to cope.”
Hoarders have a psychological disorder. “Animal Planet” goes on to say the act insulates them from the pain of loss or from social interactions with family and friends. Some view animals as preferable to people; animals are able to receive love without the challenges an interpersonal relationship brings.
The types of psychological disorders that are exhibited by animal hoarders include: Addiction, dementia, obsessive compulsive disorder, attachment disorder, and depression.
It appears the authorities believe this Ohio owner had good intentions like most hoarders do. Hopefully this owner will get help if the urge to hoard animals returns.
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