HOARDING: THE ANIMAL ASPECT

Doug Kelley

Denver Animal Care & Control September 18, 2007

ANIMAL HOARDER DEFINED

• Accumulated a large number of animals, overwhelming that person’s ability to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, and veterinary care.

• Failed to acknowledge the deteriorating condition of the animals (including disease, starvation, and even death) and household environments (severe overcrowding, very unsanitary conditions).

• Failed to recognize the negative effect of the collection on his or her own health and well-being, and that of other household members.

Profile of an Animal Hoarder• 76% are female• 46% are 60 years of age or older• Most are unmarried and do not have close

relationships with family• Over ½ live alone• In 69% of the cases animal feces and urine

accumulate in living areas, and ¼ of the hoarder’s beds were soiled with animal feces

• Dead or sick animals are reported in 80% of the cases

• Cats are involved in 65% of the cases, and dogs are involved in 60% of the cases.

• Animal hoarders come from all social and demographic backgrounds.

• Tend to have an inordinate fear of death• Although hoarders tend to be

socioeconomically disadvantaged people, there have been multiple cases with working professionals such as college professors, nurses, bankers, and even veterinarians.

• 74% are companion animals 67% are dogs

22% are cats• 14 % are farm animals• 6% are wildlife

THE INTENTIONALLY ABUSED ANIMAL

THE ANIMAL ABUSER• Gender

76% male, 24% female• Age

31 % are teenagers under 18 years of age

• 4% are under 12 years of ageHoarding cases • 76% of offenders are female• 46% are 60 years of age or older

Media Coverage

• The collector’s insistence that he or she wants to save animals’ lives plays well to the press, and journalists often naively glorify such people.

• Heartwarming stories are recounted that belie the gruesome conditions the hoarder’s victims are forced to endure.

• These stories have the effect, if not the intent, of causing already overwhelmed individuals to acquire even more animals.

Addressing the Media

• Be forthcoming, even proactive, with information.

• Educate about the realities of the animals’ conditions, and the psychology of the animal hoarder.

• Use video footage or pictures taken during the rescue.

• Allow the media to observe and film the condition of the animals. Encourage them to follow-up in the coming days and weeks for new developments.

Veterinarian Connection

• Veterinarians may be unwitting enablers. A well-meaning veterinarian who regularly refers unwanted animals to a client or staff member and sends samples of food or supplies home with that person may be facilitating the accumulation of an unmanageable number of animals

Tips for veterinarians in identifying hoarders

• A constantly changing parade of pets, most seen once and not again.

• Visits for problems not usually seen in good preventive health care, such as trauma or infectious disease.

• Rarely seeing the same animal for diseases of old age, such as cancer or heart disease.

• May travel great distances to the practice, come at odd hours, and use multiple veterinarians so as not to tip them off about the number of animals.

• May seek heroic and futile care for animals they have recently found.

• Perfuming or bathing animals prior to a visit to conceal odor.

• Bringing in a relatively presentable animal in an attempt to get medication for more seriously ill animals at home, and trying to persuade the veterinarian to provide medication or refills without seeing the animals

• Being unwilling or unable to say how many animals they have.

• Claiming to have just found or rescued an animal in obviously deplorable condition, although the condition of the animal, including strong odor of urine, overgrown nails, and muscle atrophy, may be more indicative of confinement in filthy conditions than wandering the streets.

• An interest in rescuing even more animals, including checking bulletin boards and questioning other clients.

PROSECUTION

The primary purposes of prosecuting an animal hoarder for cruelty to animals is to

• separate him or her from the animal victims and • to see that the hoarder receives the

psychological counseling needed to prevent the person from repeating the abusive behavior.

• Effective plea arrangements can be an acceptable alternative to permanent injunctions.

§18-9-202 Cruelty To Animals A person commits cruelty to animals if

he or she knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence overdrives, overloads, overworks, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance, unnecessarily or cruelly beats, allows to be housed in a manner that results in chronic or repeated serious physical harm, carries or confines in or upon any vehicles in a cruel or reckless manner… needlessly kills, or otherwise mistreats or neglects any animal, or causes or procures it to be done, or, having the charge or custody of any animal fails to provide it with proper food, drink, or protection from the weather, or abandons an animal.

Definitions• “Mistreatment” means every act or

omission that causes or unreasonably permits the continuation of unnecessary or unjustifiable pain or suffering.

• “Neglect” means failure to provide food, water, protection fro the elements, or other care generally considered to be normal, usual and accepted for an animals health and well-being consistent with the species, breed, and type of animal.

Colorado Penalties

• Misdemeanor (Class 1): 6 months to 18 months County Jail

and/or $500 to $5,000 fine• Felony (Class 6)

12 months to 18 months Department of Corrections and/or $1,000 to $100,000 fine

18-9-202.5. Financial bonding requirements for costs of holding impounded animals.

• The owner or custodian of an animal that has been impounded because of alleged neglect or abuse, or because of investigation of charges of cruelty to animals may prevent disposition of the animal by an animal shelter that is caring for the animal by posting a bond with the court in an amount sufficient to provide for the animal's care and keeping for at least thirty days. Such bond shall be filed with the court within ten days after the animal is impounded.

At the end of the time for which expenses are covered by the bond, if the owner or custodian desires to prevent disposition of the animal by the animal shelter, the owner or custodian shall post a new bond with the court within ten days after the prior bond's expiration. However, the court shall order the immediate disposition of the animal by euthanasia if, in the opinion of a veterinarian, the animal is experiencing extreme pain or suffering. At the end of the time for which expenses are covered by the bond, the animal shelter may determine disposition of the animal unless there is a court order prohibiting such disposition. The owner or custodian shall be liable for the cost of the care, keeping, or disposal of the animal.

Associated Costs for Bonding

• Personnel Costs including overtime (don’t forget benefit costs)– Kennel care– Court time– Administrative Costs

• Veterinary care above and beyond shelter costs

• Animal food• Other associated costs

BUILDING STRATEGIC ALLIANCES

• Animal Control Officers• Shelter/Humane Society Personnel• State Veterinarian’s Office• City/county court prosecutors• District Attorney’s Office• Police/Sheriff’s Department• Local Health Department• Social Service Agencies• Veterinary Community• Code Enforcement