Have you ever had an animal to call your own?

A household pet from your childhood or perhaps one as an adult? Those that do have one know how messy your house can become from housing these lovable pets!

We can all be forgiven for allowing our houses to get a bit untidy and cluttered, but spare a thought for those people who hoard – not least those who hoard animals – and whose homes become a health hazard.

Animal hoarding is defined as the keeping of a larger than usual number of pets, and the inability to properly care for them, alongside the complete denial that there is an issue.

Hoarding is usually linked to a mental health issue, such as obsessive compulsive disorder, addictive behaviour or dementia, rather than being deliberate cruelty towards animals, and hoarders are usually deeply attached to their pets.

Hoarders generally keep their pets in a domestic environment, although sometimes the individual concerned may class themselves as a ’rescue centre’.

They often believe their knowledge is superior to anyone else’s, and they can display characteristics of antisocial personality disorder.

The ManxSPCA has encountered several cases of animal hoarding over the last few years and it has worked closely with other agencies, such as the Department of Health and Social Care and the Salvation Army, to try to help the individuals concerned and their pets.

The end result has usually been an agreement to remove the majority of the animals (most usually cats) to Ard Jerkyll for neutering and rehoming, leaving a handful of pets with the owner.

Preventing hoarding and all other forms of cruelty to companion animals begins with fighting the overpopulation crisis.

Overpopulation issues also lead to feral cat problems, and pregnant feral cats and abandoned feral kittens have started to arrive at Ard Jerkyll in the last 10 days.

Read on to find out more about this story and how you can help to prevent the overpopulation of household pets.

 

 

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Remember, if you or someone you know is suffering from hoarding, you can contact us at www.facebook.com/CloudsEndCIC for help.