One hoarder in Michigan faces animal cruelty charges after police reportedly found 80 animals suffering in terrible conditions on her property. Though housed indoors, even the dogs showed signs of neglect. This ranged from fur matted with feces to paws becoming webbed from walking in filth. Along with the 30 dogs found were livestock animals like horses and donkeys.
We may never truly understand what drives anyone to hoard material possessions, and much less so, live animals. Regardless, something needs to be done about this growing trend in America.
Hoarding animals not only puts our four-legged friends at risk, but it also affects everyone else living in the home. In addition to this, it puts a lot of pressure on law enforcement and the animal shelters who must now find the resources to care for so many animals in poor condition.
Help put a stop to animal hoarding by adding your name to the petition. Thousands of innocent lives are counting on you.
Source: Justice for 80 Animals Kept in Horrifying Conditions
Photo Credit: Lori Stephan
I have to admit that a good friend, who was a severe alcoholic, lived in pretty much filth. Her 85 year old father and I would try to dispose of trash and clean on occasion, but could never catch up. She was a medical transcriptionist and worked from home, but was suicidal and kept a loaded hand gun in the house. She used to laugh and say folks think I’ll blow my brains out, but what she did was slowly waste away through alcohol abuse and starvation. She died on Sept 1st, 2010 at the age of 54. When the ambulance arrived, she refused to go to the hospital (she couldn’t breathe) and when the Police walked in, they condemned the place, and the EMTs took her to the hospital where she passed soon after. The police had asked her father and I how we could let her live like she did. I tried to explain to him that she was happy and content and it hurt no one, but her. (which is what she wanted) 🙁
That must have been tragic. I’m sorry you had to go through that.
Sometimes though we have to admit when we’re in way over our heads and call in expert help. That’s probably what the police officer meant.
I have never been in the situation, and by no means think you did wrong. You tried your best. I may have just handled it differently.
oh she was a tormented soul. a very smart, talented, and funny person, but she had bouts of serious anger, had dealt with domestic violence from her second marriage back in the 1980’s and lived in fear of her ex, though she wasn’t even sure if he was still alive. She had many issues she tried to deal with on her own, and with my help if I could, but we butted heads a lot,and she was very hard headed. There was no way she was going to do anything if she didn’t want to. Her shower sprung a leak, and to avoid having someone come fix it, she stopped bathing…for about 3-4 years 🙁 it was sad, a learning experience, and she taught me many things about life.
Wow. Well the smart ones are usually the one with issues, speaking from personal experience. I think we internalise things too much and spend too much time in thought.
Some of us manage to stay sane and get better over time, but unfortunately some of us don’t.
That not showering thing for 3-4 years though… boy, she was committed.
that she was Alexis. I’d mention to her from time to time that perhaps meds might help her situation, or seeing a doctor she could talk to, but for such a small woman, her voice would drop 20 octaves and sound like it was from the very bowels of the Earth…kind of scary.
Well we do what we can to help those we love, but unless they want help, it won’t do them any good – unfortunately. You did the best you could, I’m sure. 🙂
I tried so many times to make ‘suggestions’ to her, but oh my God, she was the most hard headed person I’ve ever met Alexis! (even more so than my mother!) lol
People who do this type thing, don’t seem to realize how bad things are…like they are blind to the fact that the animals are sick, dirty, neglected. It’s sad for the animals who deserve loving homes with humans who take them into their families. I’ve known of a few local instances of animal cruelty, in one case, the family had 13 Pit Bulls, but only 11 were alive. All of the animals were kept inside all of the time, so the house was covered in animal waste, and the dead dogs were left in there too. 🙁
True Gary – I definitely think this is part of a mental disorder of some kind.
However, we must always focus on protecting the injured victims first, which in this case are the animals and sometimes children in the home who develop respiratory illnesses because of the hoarding.
I wonder though how these conditions get to this point without someone noticing.
Things get overlooked or folks may think, well it’s their life.
You’re probably right. Unfortunately, that sort of thinking doesn’t do much for the greater good.
no it doesn’t 🙁
So very sad, all around.
Indeed – perhaps she meant well, but definitely not the way to go about it.