Many neighborhoods have the "crazy" cat lady who feeds strays and whose home is filled with several cats. Not too many people recognize the fact that animal hoarding is a result of a mental illness.
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder are often responsible for a person's uncontrollable need to save and protect animals. Most of the time, the conditions that their animals are living in are less than humane.
Hoarding animals is a disease; there is nothing "normal" about it.
Thanks to television programs like Animal Planet's Confessions:Animal Hoarding, the dirty secret about why people hoard animals is being talked about.
Again, it brings back a common subject- stigma about seeking help for mental health issues. People hoard animals for several reasons but they all stem back to a traumatic event or a feeling of lacking control in their life. It is almost always rooted in depression or anxiety.
Treatment for animal hoarding includes cognitive behavioral therapy which can be extremely emotionally painful for people. Of course, the person needs to let go of most of the pets they are hoarding. They are forced to face what issues have caused them to become hoarders and giving up the security of hoarding pets is part of the painful process.
Each case must be looked at individually. That crazy cat lady in the neighborhood has her reasons why she needs to take care of all these cats. When she gets professional mental health treatment, the crazy cat lady can begin to heal and live a more normal existance.
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder are often responsible for a person's uncontrollable need to save and protect animals. Most of the time, the conditions that their animals are living in are less than humane.
Hoarding animals is a disease; there is nothing "normal" about it.
Thanks to television programs like Animal Planet's Confessions:Animal Hoarding, the dirty secret about why people hoard animals is being talked about.
Again, it brings back a common subject- stigma about seeking help for mental health issues. People hoard animals for several reasons but they all stem back to a traumatic event or a feeling of lacking control in their life. It is almost always rooted in depression or anxiety.
Treatment for animal hoarding includes cognitive behavioral therapy which can be extremely emotionally painful for people. Of course, the person needs to let go of most of the pets they are hoarding. They are forced to face what issues have caused them to become hoarders and giving up the security of hoarding pets is part of the painful process.
Each case must be looked at individually. That crazy cat lady in the neighborhood has her reasons why she needs to take care of all these cats. When she gets professional mental health treatment, the crazy cat lady can begin to heal and live a more normal existance.
Thank you so much for bring this issue to our attention - and for the mention of our show.
ReplyDeleteI'm a researcher for the series Confessions: Animal Hoarding, currently airing on Animal Planet that tells the stories of people overwhelmed by the number of pets they own. The problem is on the rise and affect communities across America.
If you are concerned about the health of animals in someone's care and suspect they may be hoarding them, we might be able to help.
Most animal hoarders don’t see themselves as hoarders, and sometimes don’t intentionally collect animals. Their relationship with their animals has threatened their relationships with friends and family.
Most of these situations aren’t dealt with until they become criminal. This results in animals being euthanized by over-stressed shelters, and doesn’t address the underlying psychological issues - meaning nearly 100% of people end up in the same situation again.
We are dedicated to finding comprehensive long-term solutions and believe therapy to be key to this. We can bring in experts to help people and their pets.
If you or someone you know needs help because animals have overrun their life, visit www.animalhoardingproject.com to learn more and submit their story. Alternatively, contact me directly at help@animalhoardingproject.com or toll-free at
1 -877-698-7387.
We will treat all submissions with confidentiality and respect.