Hoarding can be complicated
The Nova Scotia SPCA announced last month they had rescued more than 70 cats and kittens from two animal hoarding situations in Pictou County and Cape Breton. The cats were in rough shape, with many suffering from life-threatening illnesses. Online bashing started almost immediately on social media. People demanded jail time, and the costs associated with the seizures be charged back to both hoarders.
Animal hoarding is a complicated issue and it comes with many varied definitions and causes. But everyone agrees that animal hoarding is especially heartbreaking for the animals caught in these unfortunate circumstances.
There is no single solution for animal hoarding.
In most cases, an individual does not start out intending to hoard animals. They may innocently take in a few cats, feeling they are saving them from the harshness of outside living. But the cats start to breed and the situation begins to snowball. Secondly, the word may spread about a homeowner and all the cats they have, so people begin to drop off unwanted cats hoping they will be taken in by the hoarder.
Most animal hoarders start by loving, feeding and caring for the animals. They may not be aware one of the animals is pregnant. They may also not be aware the animals are not spayed or neutered. Within a few months, the situation can escalate and they find themselves overwhelmed. They may even be embarrassed to ask for help.
Sadly, some hoarders may be emotionally troubled or depressed. In those circumstances, they may not notice that many animals in their care are suffering. They may not understand they need help to care for so many animals and they become blind to the animals' suffering. They may also love the animals so much they do not want to part with them.
Individuals who seem to be susceptible to becoming animal hoarders tend to be single, widowed or elderly. They may have a mental illness, be isolated from family, friends or social groups and separated from their community.
Instead of finger-pointing or shaming hoarders, please consider stepping up to help the cats at the SPCA and donate money or items that will help. The SPCA will investigate the hoarding situation and if charges are warranted, the SPCA will make the right decision based on the circumstances of the case.
You may have an animal hoarder that you are not aware of in your community. A few clues may be: the home's windows are dirty; foul smells are emitting from the home; the homeowner cannot say with great certainty how many animals live in the house, or the animals you can see from the street are emancipated and unclean.
If you think there is someone in your community struggling with many pets, please call your local SPCA. Remember that not all hoarders are animal abusers. They are people who had good intentions and thought they were helping abandoned animals.
Please be kind to animals.