Animal Hoarding: Animal Cruelty or Mental Illness

Earlier this year, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Agents arrived at a New York City apartment to find that dozens of cats and kittens had overtaken the small space. The cats were severely malnourished, and many suffered from upper respiratory disease. There were no litter boxes, and the floor was covered in several inches of feces and urine. Living among the filth and debris was an 85-year-old woman suffering from dementia—she had been hoarding animals for years.

Animal hoarding is a complex and intricate social issue with far-reaching effects that encompass mental health, animal welfare and public safety concerns. Victims can include cats, dogs, reptiles, rodents, birds, exotics and even farm animals. While it’s not clear why people become animal hoarders, current research suggests the cause is often attachment disorder in conjunction with personality disorders, paranoia, dementia, depression and other mental illness. The hoarder does not intend to inflict harm on animals, and in most cases, the hoarder can no longer take care of himself, much less multiple animals.

“We often see that animal hoarders have experienced some traumatic event or loss in their lives,” says Fiona Knight, Cruelty Intervention Advocacy Manager at the ASPCA. “Usually, they are very lonely and isolated people—and the animals become their primary source of bonding and interaction.”

While the ASPCA does pursue cruelty charges when appropriate, in many cases, prosecution is not the answer. Not only are such cases difficult to successfully prosecute, but once released, hoarders are overwhelmingly likely to resume collecting excessive numbers of animals. The solution lies in supplying hoarders with the resources and tools they need to keep them from repeating their destructive patterns.

“As a clinical social worker, it is my job to go in and work with the hoarders. Not only do I educate them on the problems caused by having so many animals, but I also connect them with appropriate services,” says Knight. “Whether individuals need a therapist who specializes in hoarding, a cleaning service or the assistance of adult protective services, we provide the resources. Our first priority is to remove the animals and provide them with immediate treatment, but our job doesn’t end there.”

Pets of the Week

I don’t particularly like pit bulls, due to a previous experience, but by the time I had finished playing with Mama, I was ready to take her home. Mama, a ten-year-old pit bull/terrier mix, has been at the shelter since last November and is still looking for a good home. It’s not unusual, black dogs and black cats are usually the last to get adopted and it’s a shame because Mama is a wonderful dog. Affectionate, playful and easygoing, she would be a wonderful addition to any family.

The Humane Society of Kent County decided to feature two cats instead of one this week. Squeekie and Sareen, both domestic shorthairs, first entered the shelter when they were kittens and have grown up here. Squeekie has a great personality. She’s very sweet and always wants to be by your side. Now six months old, she came to the shelter last April, where she’s still waiting for someone to take her home. Sareen’s previous owner could no longer take care of her and brought Sareen and her kittens to the Humane Society. The kittens have all been adopted, but Sareen still longs for a home. There are currently 17 black cats at the Humane Society. Many are hesitant to adopt them, thinking they will bring bad luck, but all of these animals are energetic and affectionate. Take one home and who knows, one might even be your good luck charm.

Animal Crush Videos Act of 2010 Passes House

Last Wednesday, July 21, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 416-3 to pass H.R. 5566, the Prevention of Interstate Commerce in Animal Crush Videos Act of 2010. The nearly unanimous affirmative vote, as well as the fact that 262 representatives attached their names to the bill as cosponsors, makes this a decisive victory for animals—especially considering that the bill was introduced only one month ago.

Representative Elton Gallegly (R-CA) introduced H.R. 5566 in response to the Supreme Court’s April ruling that the original Crush Act, a 1999 federal law banning the creation, sale and possession of materials depicting genuine acts of animal cruelty is unconstitutional and overbroad in its scope. The Crush Act had succeeded in curbing commercial trade of “crush” fetish videos, which generally depict a woman’s feet as they crush to death small animals such as rodents and kittens. Now, in the absence of any enforceable federal law, this horrific underground industry is on the ascent.

H.R. 5566 amends the Crush Act to prohibit distributing, selling or offering to distribute or sell any depictions of animals being crushed, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or burned where such actions are illegal. Rep. Gallegly reportedly worked with law and constitutional scholars when drafting the bill to ensure that its language is narrowly tailored to be able to withstand strict First Amendment challenges.

Pets Suffering from Heatstroke in Parked Cars

As many parts of the country struggle with recent heat waves, we’ve all seen the disturbing news reports of pets, mostly dogs, dying from heatstroke as a result of being left in parked cars. Just last week, a Bronx, NY, man left his Maltese in his van—with the windows cracked—while he went for a swim at a state park. The temperature inside the van climbed to 140 degrees and despite intervention by park police, the dog didn’t survive.

Even on a relatively mild 85-degree day, it takes only 10 minutes for the interior of a car to reach 102 degrees—and within 30 minutes, the inside of the car can be a staggering 120 degrees. Leaving windows open a few inches does not help. Furthermore, when it comes to the body’s ability to cool itself, canine physiology is vastly different from ours. While humans have sweat glands all over our bodies that help regulate our body heat, dogs cool down mostly by panting, which is much less efficient than sweating. In only a short amount of time, a dog with a high body temperature can suffer critical damage to his nervous system, heart, liver and brain.

At least 14 states and many municipalities have enacted laws to address the problem of animals left in cars in extreme temperatures. Under these laws, police, animal control agents, peace officers and others may be authorized to enter a vehicle by whatever means necessary to remove an animal. “I would recommend that if your state doesn’t have a specific law addressing animals left in hot cars that you still call law enforcement, because it may be considered animal cruelty under your state or local laws,” says Jill Buckley, Senior Director of ASPCA Government Relations & Mediation.

If you’re out and about on a hot day and see an animal alone in a car, you should immediately try to find the car’s owner. If you have no luck, or if the owner refuses to act, contact local law enforcement and/or animal control.

Pets of the Week

After going into one of the private play rooms with Cali-May, the 2 year-old dilute calico, I felt an instant connection.   Cali-May is a very fun-loving and easy going kitten.   She has been at the shelter since April 24, and is surprisingly still up for grabs.  Her outgoing personality and yearning for attention makes her a great feline even for those dog people out there.  She was given the name Cali-May because there were too many cats with just the name “Cali”.  Cali-May, therefore, has more than just personality and her looks to make her stand out.

Roadie, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, is a real standout in the  selection of sheltered dogs this week.  Just like his breed, Roadie is very unique as he is a very calm and cool dog with a beautiful color.  He was given his name Roadie because he was found on the road in Chestertown by a family who later gave him up for adoption.  Now that Roadie is looking to be almost 5 years old, and is fantastic with people and other cats and dogs, there is no time to waste.  Why not go and give Roadie a walk he won’t forget?  It could just be his last walk out of the shelter.

Pets of the Week

This loving brown pooch can be anyone’s perfect dog.  Maxwell was originally from Baltimore where he survived a house fire. This ten-year-old has come a long way since  he had been forced down by his former owner who had cut off the tips of his ears.   His dim past has not led for Maxwell to ever give up but rather given him strength to continue on always hoping for a better tomorrow.  He loves being able to walk around freely and enjoy the presence of people. If there is ever a perfect time to add a member to your family while giving this dog a life he has yearned for, it is right now.  Please visit Maxwell the boxer; he will be waiting for you in kennel #5!

Viv is an amazing cat with a big presence.  She is a domestic-short haired female cat between the ages of two and three. Her role as a great mother and success in nursing a litter of orphan kittens explains her laid back personality.  Viv is a fun and great looking cat with an adorable black button nose. She has always been there for others, and desperately needs someone to be there for her.

Pets of the Week

This week, the Humane Society of Kent County is highlighting a litter instead of the regular cat of the week. These kittens are as adorable in person as they are in our photos.  They are waiting for homes, both permanent and foster, and have been anticipating an owner to bless them with a name as well.  They are extremely sweet, and seem to be content with something as simple as a shoe!  There are currently over 35 different kittens from a variety of litters ready to climb out of their cage and into your lap.

Our dog of the week is Ginger, which the Humane Society calls their  “The Kent County Special”  As the name suggests, Ginger is truly one of  kind.  Her beautiful stature and adorable face combine for the perfect dog.  She is fully charged with energy and has a lovely tempermant.  She can also be known as the “Velcro dog” who wants to be right by you side. She is two years old and has come a long way since her arrival to the shelter. Ginger deserves a life full of love and attention, but more importantly she is in need of a loving owner.

USDA Fails to Protect Puppy Mill Dogs

Earlier this week, the Office of the Inspector General released a report detailing the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) lax and ineffective enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) against licensed large-scale dog breeders and brokers known as puppy mills. As part of the investigation, auditors visited 81 facilities and reviewed records documenting 28,443 violations over a two-year period.

The report concludes that despite regular inspections, breeders were allowed to continue operating facilities where dogs lived in inhumane conditions—cages overflowing with pools of urine and feces, food laden with dead cockroaches, and dogs infested with ticks and unattended injuries including a mutilated leg and other atrocities—all without penalty. Furthermore, in cases of severe neglect and abuse, inspectors failed to confiscate the animals. At one Oklahoma mill, despite discovering five dead dogs and others who had resorted to cannibalism due to starvation, investigators took no action. This resulted in the deaths of 22 more dogs. The ASPCA is saddened by the findings, but we are not surprised.

The ASPCA has been painfully aware of the cruel conditions to which dogs are regularly subjected at the hands of puppy mill operators who put profit above providing the most basic standards of care. “Puppy mills are a primary focus of the ASPCA’s anti-cruelty initiatives,” says Cori Menkin, ASPCA Senior Director of Legislative Initiatives. “The ASPCA Field Investigations and Response Team has rescued countless dogs from puppy mills and aided in the prosecution of their owners.” This past February, the ASPCA rescued more than 95 severely underweight dogs from a puppy mill in Holly Springs, MS—the animals were being housed in feces-encrusted pens and suffering from severe neglect.

In addition to our nationwide investigations, the ASPCA supports landmark legislation, including the Missouri Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act. “This is a groundbreaking citizens’ initiative aimed at drastically improving the lives of dogs in Missouri kennels,” explains Menkin. With an estimated 3,000 puppy mills in the state, Missouri has rightly come to be known as the Puppy Mill Capital of America.

“While the ASPCA commends the Office of the Inspector General for its detailed audit, we hope the findings will lead to stronger, more consistent enforcement by the USDA, more federal funding to increase the number of inspectors enforcing the Animal Welfare Act, and ultimately, more humane conditions for the dogs,” says Menkin.

Edith Wharton (the cat) is Dead

Today the literary world lost one if its most notable characters. Edith Wharton, Washington College’s famous Literary House Cat, died on Monday, May 17, 2010 in her home, the Rose O’Neill Literary House. She was at least 17 years old.

Edith first came to the Lit House as a kitten–a gift to students who were facing a difficult time–from Kathryn Day, wife of then-Lit House Director and Professor of English Robert Day. She was a regular at Lit House readings, often requiring her own chair with a view of the podium. She enjoyed the company of such literary notables as Toni Morrison, Tim O’Brien, Mary Karr, and Joyce Carol Oates–well, let’s just say she tolerated them. Last year, author Neil Gaiman became her favorite when he shared his salmon sushi with her.

Edith is remembered as being a feisty cat in her youth–she once attacked a visiting Zen Master–but softened into a lap cat as old age set in, preferring to feed on roast beef sandwiches. Though hyperthyroidism and a cancerous tumor in her thigh slowed her in later years, she kept up her attendance at literary events, occasionally sneaking across Rt. 213 to dispatch a bunny.

Edith is survived by generations of student writers who found inspiration and comfort in her enduring presence. She was predeceased by her sister, Agatha Christie of Still Pond, Maryland, in 2009.

Edith will long be remembered–and greatly missed.