Hoarding

Recently, in debate, I was asked what I thought about the subject of "animal hoarding" ( the person doing the asking ,  I was later to find out was being somewhat snide). I had never heard of the term before and asked for some clarification which I did not receive, so today I had a quick look at the definition of the phrase

Wikipedia states:-

Animal hoarding involves keeping higher than 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. Compulsive hoarding can be characterized as a symptom of mental disorder rather than deliberate cruelty towards animals. Hoarders are deeply attached to their pets and find it extremely difficult to let the pets go. They typically cannot comprehend that they are harming their pets by failing to provide them with proper care. Hoarders tend to believe that they provide the right amount of care for their pets.[1] The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals provides a "Hoarding Prevention Team", which works with hoarders to help them attain a manageable and healthy number of pets.[2]


Years ago, I was a psychiatric nurse in Chester and York, and never came across this phenomenon before, (although I have had experience of patients hoarding bodily waste, household rubbish and the like---yes charming!)
I found the above article an interesting read and was reassured to realise that I am not quite at this stage just yet .
The human mind never ceases to amaze me in it's abilities to play tricks on itself, and although the whole subject is fascinating, I don't regret leaving psychiatric nursing for one minute.
It's just too complex

27 comments:

  1. No John, you're not there just yet, LOL!

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  2. I have seen a show the other day where someone was hoarding animals, one episode the guy had rats, thousands of them in his house, he had moved out, some were sick and they literally pulled all the walls down because the rats were in it everywhere, the other one was a woma hoarding mostly chickens in her house, in tight overcrowed cages, it was so sad. She just had so many and no way of looking after them. It was gruesome. I understand it's a disease but omg those poor little innocent creatures.

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  3. Yes, I have heard of this, with cats, dogs and horses. The animal police generally take the poor critters away and the people to court for animal abuse. Never heard of such in a case where the critters were thriving, so I believe you are safe - for now, LOL!

    XXX

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  4. Oh my goodness you are not a hoarder ~! I love your stories about your animals..
    I chuckled about the angry guy in his car..Keep an extra bag of dog do do with you so you are ready for the next time.. Oh I guess you better not ,,you'll have to pay for the damage. But I thought it was funny.
    I love your blog, and all your adventures~!
    Have a tiggeriffic day~! ta ta for now from Iowa USA.

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  5. There is no doubt in my mind that you are not a hoarder. Maybe this person is just a grouchy SOB.

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  6. One of my lady's "friends" told her she was a hoarder because she has lots of us pets. There sure is a difference between someone like her (and you) that care very much for their critters and birds and those that just have "numbers" and don't care for them properly.

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  7. John G--anyone who would say this to you is just off base. I know by reading and seeing your posts and pics--you are not hoarding. You take great care of your animals and often rescue some that were not being taken care of. There is a show here in the US called Animal Hoarders--it’s nuts. Some folks have hundreds of animals in their house-many dead and the house is falling around them as they can’t pay for anything to keep it up--you my friend are not an animal hoarder :)

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  8. Well that told you know who -sorted !

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  9. Anonymous7:28 pm

    We seem to have a case of animal hoarding surface around here every couple of years and it's quite sad. Usually dogs and cats that are emaciated and ill. It really is a fascinating form of mental illness which is difficult for everyone to understand once they see the state of the animals. Fortunately, we have a very active Humane Society locally with a strong base of support. Something like 80% of the people around here have pets. We love our animals. :-)

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  10. It's funny how in life things can turn tipple tail - the poacher becomes the gamekeeper, the student becomes the teacher, the child becomes the adult, the nurse becomes the patient... just a few more creatures to go and the men in white coats will be knocking at your door. Just shout "Kill!" to Constance and you will be saved.

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  11. There are people who cannot bear to throw away their own earwax - so I'm told - and now have beach-ball sized collections. Thanks for the definition, and - as a result of it - I can now see that our bitter American friend is more of a spiteful c*** than I already had him down for. As far as I can tell, you are the perfect animal husband, though how you keep up the energy to maintain your job as well as servicing Constance AND the chickens is beyond me.

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  12. On the Animal Plantet a television station aired in the USA there is a series featuring Animal Hoarders.
    Extreme cases of people who mean well, but end up with far too many animals because they can't say 'no'.
    Their lives are ruled by the animals, mentally and physically, they are distanced from the families and intervention by outside means is usually the only solution.
    These people think they are caring for the animals, where as they are adding to the problems.
    It's a sad event nevertheless.
    ~Jo

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  13. You are far from being a hoarder. I don't know if your television has a show on called "Hoarders", or "Animal Hoarders", but we do in the USA. I watch these shows and can say, based on what I see on them, you do not have the tendency that makes a 'hoarder'. You care for your animals very well, and none are abused. Quite the contrary, you take in the abused and rehab them into a happy state. You're good John!

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  14. My experience with 'animal hoarders' is not great - I have attended some Magistrates Courts to give evidence as to a persons 'well being and state of mind' when the offender had been charged by the RSPCA of 'Animal Cruelty' - however, those cases always involved someone for whom the mental health team had previously had professional care contact and the animals were always severely neglected. Once an elderly lady had 153 cats locked up inside her home for several months and had previously done something similar on another occassion - another was a retired farmer, a widower who lived alone, who had ove 100 sheep that had been left without food or water (most needing to be put down) and 18 dogs, mostly flea-ridden and starving and he had an existing court order against his being allowed to keep any animals.

    I think your "Friend" does not understand the psycho-dynamics behind the true meaning of 'animal hoarding' and was attempting make personal gain from some unfair and indirect attack towards your lifestyle!

    Next time its raised, just respond "Wdytaffays!" Explain its an old Welsh term! LOL!

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  15. At the end of your blog post about the broody hen you say "my animal hoarding goes on". I thought at the time that you are certainly not a hoarder. You have a lot of animals/birds but they are loved and cared for. Not like the true hoarder who is a pathetic psycho case.
    Cheers

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  16. While you're definitely not right in the head (lol)... you're definitely no crazy cat lady. :)

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  17. All of us who have animals get into situations sometimes when we have more than we feel we can adequately care for, and once we're back to a more manageable level, we try to avoid that situation in the future. There is no set number, however, some people can't really take care of one pet as well as someone else takes care of 8. A lot of urban folks, however, equate an old lady with 153 cats living in a trailer with someone who has 100 chickens in a flock. I hate it when city people just don't get it, usually because of their own ignorance.

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  18. You are not even close to this! I have seen the shows and until you have animals stacked cage upon cage with no freedom and dead carcasses laying in the house, you won't be there.

    I know the love and care you give your animals. Next time I saw the person that asked that...I might give him some of my hoarded chicken poop!

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  19. I thought you were doing the post tongue-in-cheek! There is no way you are in any way, shape, or form an animal hoarder. I have taken in and fostered animals that have come from hoarder's homes. Many of them have to be put down, because they are so sick and have been so neglected for so long that they just cannot physically (or mentally) recover. No, you are a kind, caring, and thoughtful animal lover. I think you should mentally lock up this looby with Ka driver in the Constance-decorated room..... but that's just me.

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  20. A hoarder? No way! The animals that live with you are the lucky ones.

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  21. If you ever tip over the edge from animal-rescuer to animal hoarder, rest assured, we will be there to save you John. Right now...keep doing what you are doing, loving what you love and doing what you love...it's all good. The world is a better place because of the likes of you John.

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  22. Anonymous3:22 am

    Well I guess by your "commenters" definition my parents must have been animal hoarders. When I was a kid we lived on an acreage and had a cow, 20-30 chickens, a pig, 5-6 goats, several ducks, 14-15 cats, 8-10 bantam chickens, and a dog or two. Who knew we were animal hoarders?
    Of course we weren't any more than you are!

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  23. Oh dear John, you are NOT even close to being an animal hoarder! The people here that they bust for it are really loony tunes.They have like 100cats in a 2 room house. Very upsetting. Especially to us dogs!
    Smooches from pooches,
    BabyRD & Hootie

    ps-Now,our mama is a bit daft!!BOL.

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  24. I followed the "exchange" on T.S.'s blog and could not believe the audacity of Grouchy! Anyone can see that you are caring properly for your animals. That Grouchy-person is just living way off in la-la-land. Just set Boris onto him/her!

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  25. Complex...but fun!

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  26. oh I know I am not a hearder ( in the negative definition of the word) but I suspect there is some psychological need in me to be needed!
    thanks for the comments
    x

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  27. hoarder!= I mean
    as for the guy that said I was
    John D he's no friend of mine

    just a scotch filled drunk with a nasty mouth

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I love all comments Except abusive ones from arseholes