| Thursday, March 06, 2003 |
Hoarding Hurts
 In case we needed a reminder...if you aren't aware of what animal hoarding is, let me give you the quick low down: Hoarding (or collecting) is a psychological disorder. In this case, it occurs when animal lovers or rescuers take on more animals than they can manage or are for; thus, they unintentionally become abusers themselves. Hoarding becomes a cruelty issue and a public safety/health issue.
You can read more at Legacy of Suffering: Hoarding. Animal hoarding (and a foreclosure) is what lead to a small animal rescue, Furrever Friends Rescue, in the NJ area rescuing 50 cats, some pregnant with even more kittens. Now, they've adopted out most of the cats, but there are still 10 left, and an alert indicates that if they are not adopted by March 10th, they will be euthanized. This photo, which appears courtesy of Furrever Friends Rescue, obviously is a sweet picture which showcases some of the golden, blond and orange beauties rescued, adopted and available for adoption. Photos of the cats in the house are available on the rescue's website and demonstrate the level of overcrowding and how overwhelmed the caregiver had become. You can visit case page of their website to see firsthand what happens when one hoards animals. And, you can learn more about how YOU can help and/or adopt one of these rescues. In a strange way the foreclosure that necessitated the rescue is a blessing since the conditions of this house and these cats would've just gotten worse and worse. [While I am, of course, a huge advocate of spay/neuter and know that unchecked breeding in his home was part of the problem, still I can't resist a trip to the nursey to see kittens birthed by the rescued cat named Buttons.] Here are two other probably animal hoarding cases in Oklahoma, which I just learned about this evening. In both cases their caregivers (possible hoarders) died. In this case, the animals (62 malnurished dogs) were thankfully rescued after their caregiver died while in this case speculation is that the caregiver committed suicide by burning down his small home with many of his dogs inside...some (looks like a dozen) survived, some did not. UPDATE: They have received a 30-day extension on the foreclosure; they will have more time to place the cats that still remain. (Hurray!!) [ ] |
| Available
for purchase from Amazon.com Book and magazine list coming soon!
| |
