By Matt Surtel msurtel@batavianews.com | Posted: Saturday, September 27, 2014 12:00 am
WARSAW
— The story has become sadly familiar in Wyoming County.
Hundreds
of cats discovered inside a local “cat shelter.” Volunteers removing dozens of
felines, wearing masks amid a hideous stench.
Dead
and sickened animals.
Then comes
a community outcry and — in the case of a town couple last week — animal
cruelty and other charges. Such cases are often classified as hoarding
situations, as love for animals spirals out of control. It’s a complex set of
circumstances often involving mental health disturbances.
“Most
hoarders of animals fall victim to their good intentions and end up emotionally
overwhelmed, socially isolated, and ultimately alienated from family and
friends,” said the Rev. Matthew Kawiak, a pastor and social worker living in
Bethany.
Animal welfare
Nobody
sets out to be a hoarder. At its definition, animal hoarding refers to a
compulsive need to collect and own animals for the sake of caring for them — to
the extent it can result in accidental neglect or abuse. Coupled with that is
dysfunctional decision-making, as the hoarders become mired in their problems. “Animal
hoarders imagine all the wonderful ways in which they can save or rescue
animals,” Kawiak said. “ They have every intention to care for their pets, but
their difficulties with organization, attention, and focus make it easy for
them to keep their living spaces very messy with animal waste and clutter. “Many
have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,” he continued. “Hoarders have a
hard time letting go of their animals because they have a terrible time making
even simple decisions, for example, ‘Is this cat my favorite or should I adopt
him out?’” The causes can vary, but studies on animal hoarders show their
behavior frequently starts after an illness, disability, or death of a
significant other. Or it can trace back to something traumatic in a person’s
youth. “In many, many hoarding cases, the vast majority can track back to a
time they lost a loved one, a spouse or child, or a career, which seems to trigger
that,” said Tim Rickey, vice president of field investigations for the American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
He’s
based in Missouri, and has responded to hoarding incidents around the nation. “I
suspect some (of the difficulties) are going on already,” he said, of a person’s
life before hoarding becomes an issue. “Then they pull back, and delve into
this compulsive behavior. They’re often trying to fill a void, and they’re
pretty notorious for isolating themselves.” The symptoms can also signify
compulsive disorders, in which people can’t discard possessions — including
animals — regardless of their well-being. “In the case of animal hoarders, they’re
really surrounding themselves with animals, rather than being a part of
society,” Rickey said.
Hoarding’s
not necessarily limited to individuals.
In
some cases, well-intentioned people get together to create “animal shelters,”
which devolve into group hoarding, using a public format.
The
groups may even secure revenue streams to help with their efforts. But
conditions deteriorate, with a steady flow of animals arriving, and never
adopted out. Prospective new pet owners may be met with resistance. As
conditions at the “shelters” deteriorate, the situation perpetuates itself.
“The
biggest barrier is if they don’t keep their facility in order, there’s not
going to be a huge impetus to adopt,” Rickey said. “ ...We see a fairly
significant amount of those types of situations, but I think it pales in
comparison to the individual situations that are going on throughout the
country.”
Harmful surroundings
The
ultimate irony may be that the animals and the hoarders themselves suffer. State
police who raided the Wyoming County SPCA two years ago in Attica described the
situation as hoarding. A total of 518 cats were removed from the building, and
more than 50 of the felines needed to be euthanized.
In
last week’s raid in Warsaw, the house was condemned, while eight dead cats, and
a dead and starved-looking dog, were found on the property.
Yet
the hoarders are themselves living in the chaotic and unsanitary messes, often
despite nauseating ammonia or fecal odors noticeable from roadside.
Sometimes
the hoarders are living outside in tents, Rickey said. Other times they’ll have
a small area or bedroom which is relatively clean — under the circumstances —
while the rest of the house is overrun. Or they live amid the filth, trying to
continue an unmanageable situation. “It’s quite frankly hard to describe,”
Rickey said. “These are filthy, unsanitary, unhealthy environments, and these people live in
this every single day. We urge people to have compassion and make the reports
on the animals, but let’s not let people get lost in this either.”
The ASPCA
talks with prosecutors and police agencies when it approaches hoarding
situations. But it also tries to get social services and similar agencies
involved — a dual aim to help the animals and people alike.
“Unfortunately,
most of those cases need to be addressed as criminal cases, but at the same
time it’s an opportunity for social services to really look at the scope of the
problem, and take what steps are appropriate,” he said.
Seeking help
If you
suspect a friend, neighbor or loved one’s hoarding animals, how do you deal
with it? Kawiak recommends that concerned friends, family members or neighbors
try to visit the suspected hoarding location if possible.
They
should try to assess the conditions of the animals and the person.
“Before
you approach a suspected hoarder directly — or even enlist the help of others —
it’s important to try to confirm as best you can that hoarding is actually
taking place,” Kawiak said. The key indicators are the owner’s ability to
maintain a clean, safe and healthy home environment, while also being able to
care for themselves and their family. Neglected animals will likely appear
malnourished. They may also have matted fur, and open or recently-healed
wounds. The home itself will probably smell of ammonia or animal waste. It may
also be cluttered with other materials, such as magazines, newspapers or boxes.
Those sharing a personal relationship should try to meet in-person with the
hoarder, to express concerns and offer help.
“Come
with an open and empathetic attitude,” Kawiak said. “While their situation may
seem deplorable from your point of view, keep in mind that most animal hoarders
truly believe they are doing no harm to the animals under their roof. “Try to
avoid confronting them with their failures and the animal neglect,” he
continued. “Instead try to get them to talk about what would be the best way to
ensure the animals get the best care possible, and how much easier their lives
would be if they had fewer animals.” It’s up to the hoarder to act, he said.
Whoever approaches them shouldn’t have to carry the burden of worrying on their
own. Concerned friends, family and neighbors can also contact resources the
hoarder can use, such as social service groups, mental health agencies, and
professional animal rescue organizations. But they should also be prepared, if
the hoarder refuses help.
People
may need to help rescue the animals, in which case they should contact local
police, fire, or code enforcement officials, who may have the power to
intervene. They can also contact animal control. “Without a doubt, these calls
can be difficult to make — particularly if you have a personal relationship
with the hoarder — but it may be the only way you can help him or her and the
hoarded animals too,” Kawiak said.
Moving forward
Treatment
can’t end after an intervention. Simply cleaning up a property or removing
animals doesn’t solve the issues which led to hoarding in the first place. In
many cases, hoarders will begin accumulating animals and debris again. That’s
why organizations such as the ASPCA like to get social services or offices for
the aging involved. “The days of viewing this as the ‘crazy cat lady’ are gone,”
Rickey said. “We need to recognize these people are not just collecting
animals. These are individuals who are doing harm to themselves and the
animals, and a lot of times they really need help.”
Kawiak
said hoarders should not be abandoned amid the fallout.
“Once
the situation gets to a point where law enforcement, animal rescue or social
service groups become involved, the animal hoarder will need all the support he
or she can get,” he said. “Many animal hoarders have few alternative activities
to help them feel productive, since their lives are consumed with vain attempts
at animal care,” he continued. “ Simply removing all the animals from a hoarder’s
home will not teach him new ways to manage his life and prevent additional
hoarding.” He recommends people do what they can to stay in touch, and
encourage them to seek or continue therapy. “No doubt this support will go a
long way toward helping the hoarder achieve a long-term recovery,” Kawiak said.
“And hopefully, some happiness too.”
