what do you all think about animal hoarding? i watch the show on animal planet, and i have to say that it's pretty interesting. personally, i wouldn't be able to take care of a huge number of animals like they do on the show. however, i think that if every single last animal is being taken care of, loved, and disciplined, then there's not a problem. i kind of started feeling that way after seeing Shelley's story, the lady who hoarded 65 cats. she honestly didn't see what was wrong.
i mean, if the people still take care of themselves and are able to do daily tasks, then what's the problem? i understand that not many housing areas, landlords, property managers, etc allow animals of that amount. i understand that many people are addicted to animals, and have a lot of them, and can't care for all of them. i understand many of the negatives about animal hoarding. however, if there was a person who had a large number of animals, but all were well taken care of along with the members of the household, then what's the problem? the house is sanitary, there's no financial problems putting anyone in possibility of not being medically taken care of, etc. they just have a "abnormal" number of pets.

pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

many people think these hoarders have mental illnesses, but in reality, they can be just like you and i. they just love their animals. so, if absolutely nothing was wrong, then what's the problem?

It's a problem for the neighbours who have dogs barking all day.

The problem with animal hoarders is that they don't and can't care properly for their animals, they have a need to collect an ever increasing number of animals that live in filth and squalor.

Hoarding is not a love of animals it is a driving need of the hoarder. People who genuinely love animals take proper care of them and make sure they are healthy and well fed. It's not the number of animals that is the problem, it's the lack of proper care.

I believe hoarding is definitely a mental problem.

a person who has a lot of animals may be able to look after them as long as they are being feed loved living in a clean environment and are taken to the vet when needed whats the problem

I have seen"rescues" that I consider to be hoarding. There animals look filthy, left outside, and lack of shelter. They may or may not have heart worm preventative and they're on acres with sometimes non profit "rescues".

pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

On the other hand I know a woman who has like 12 dogs probably an equal number of cats. They get medical care, food, shelter, etc. I would think she takes better care of her animals than the above example.

You can have a lot of animals and not be a hoarder.

You can have one animal and not take proper care of it.

What makes a "hoarder" is that they can no longer take care of the animals they have and yet do not see the problem. A hoarder can hoard towels, newspapers (very common - you hear of these people being found dead after months of being missing -- under tons of newspapers that fell on them!) or just about anything.

What makes it bad with animals, is the animals don't get proper care. A true hoarder's home will be filled with trash and feces, probably not have a working toliet for humans either, and its obvious to all involved (except the hoarder) that there is a big problem.

Numbers don't make problems -- care, or lack thereof, is the problem.

You are talking about two different things pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
1. People who have large numbers of pets and care for them
2 Animal Hoarders:usual numbers of animals as pets without having the ability to properly house or care for them, while at the same time denying this inability.

Hoarders have a physiological compulsive NEED to collect animals, they are unrealistic about their ability, they are often former breeders who have stopped selling or have worked for rescue in the past and now keep every animal. Their behaviour is pathological it is not 'normal'