Hoarding may be symptom of medical condition

Try to picture this in your mind: You are a police officer who has been called to a very nice neighborhood to investigate complaints of numerous barking dogs and a strong odor coming from a house. When an unkempt older woman opens the door, you are almost knocked off your feet by an overpowering stench. Inside the home, you can see dog crates and small cat carriers stacked from the floor to the ceiling. Although the woman appears to be disoriented and confused, she gives you permission to come in. As soon as you cross the threshold, you enter a surreal world. All around you are dozens of cats and dogs in cages. Others are running free from room to room. The filth and odor are enough to turn even the strongest stomach. You excuse yourself to escape outside to gasp for fresh air and to call for help.
After help arrives, the animal control workers remove a total of 65 dogs and cats from the house. Some of the animals are in such poor physical condition they must be euthanized. Those worth saving are taken to local animal shelters for care and rehabilitation. The workers find the carcasses of several other animals stored in a deep freeze. Because of the public health concern and the possibility of diseases, the local health department tells the homeowner that she cannot return to her home until she pays to have it thoroughly cleaned and fumigated.
Sadly, this is not a fictitious account. It actually occurred in Cooper City, Fla., in December 2001. The 50-year-old retired police officer was charged with 72 counts of cruelty to animals. Similar scenarios are being played out almost daily in this country. While these bizarre stories might make for sensational news, there are serious consequences for both human and animal health and welfare caused by this poorly understood psychological disorder. This phenomenon is known as "collecting," but is best named "animal hoarding." Animal hoarding goes beyond simply owning or caring for more than the typical number of pets, and it is not about legitimate sheltering or rescue.
Dr. Gary Patronek of the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine leads a multidiscipline group known as the Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium or HARC. According to Patronek, a hoarder is someone who:

• accumulates a large number of animals;
• fails to provide minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, and veterinary care;
• fails to act on the deteriorating condition of the animals (including disease, starvation, and even death), or the environment (severely overcrowded and unsanitary conditions);
• fails to act on or recognize the negative impact of the collection on their own health and well being.
  Patronek and his team examined 54 cases of suspected animal hoarding, which were referred to his group by animal control agencies. In these cases the researchers found that the typical animal hoarder had an average of 39 pets. The animals were often kept in filthy conditions.

They also identified several features the subjects had in common:

• 76 percent were women.
• 83 percent were middle-aged.
• 50 percent lived alone.

In a frightening 80 percent of cases, animals were found malnourished, injured or dead.
In a recent article in the journal Public Health Reports, Patronek wrote, "Public health professionals should recognize that animal hoarding may be a indicator for mental health problems or dementia, which merit serious assessment and prompt intervention. Animal hoarders often deny reality and insist that their animals are healthy."
Patronek believes that animal hoarding represents a misunderstood problem, one that goes far deeper than animal cruelty. Despite the attention they now get from the media, animal hoarders are the focus of little psychological research.
"For years it's been perceived as an animal welfare issue and left for the shelters to handle by themselves," Patronek said. "The human side of the problem has been largely ignored."
Even though a correlation with known pathologies such as obsessive-compulsive disorder seems to exist, there is presently no clinical diagnosis available.
"We'd like to study it more," Patronek said. "Is it a syndrome in and of itself? Probably not, but one day we might like it to be included as a warning sign in psychological evaluation."
Although veterinarians and animal control officials are among the likeliest to come in contact with animal hoarders or people who are on the way to becoming hoarders, Patronek advised that everyone should be aware of the problem of animal hoarding. Some of the warning signs to watch for include:

• The constant changing parade of pets, most seen once and not again.
• Seeking heroic and futile care for animals they have recently found.
• Being unwilling or unable to say how many animals they have.
• Claiming to have just found or rescued an animal in an obviously deplorable condition, although condition of the animal, including strong odor of urine, overgrown nails and muscle atrophy may be more indicative of confinement in filthy conditions than of wandering the streets.
• Showing an interest in rescuing even more animals, including checking the bulletin boards in pet stores or in veterinarian waiting rooms.

Although the nuisance of barking dogs and the danger of parasitic invasion is a major public concern, there is one other problem associated with animal hoarding. Animal hoarders place themselves and others that reside in the home in danger of exposure to ammonia gas created by the breakdown of urine. While it is hard to imagine, studies show that animal hoarders do seem to adjust to noxious levels of ammonia. However, this does not mean they are safe or that there are no adverse health effects. The long-term effects to people of sensory exposure to chronic, high ammonia levels are presently unknown. As normal bodily functions naturally decline with age, ammonia tolerance may be even lower in elderly or sickly persons with compromised kidney or liver function. Besides the health problems, another concern about acclimatization to ammonia gas is that it could decrease a person's ability to detect other dangerous gases, such as natural gas used for cooking and heating, or smoke from a fire, thus posing a safety risk. This makes the presence of a hoarder in a residential area a risk for everyone in the neighborhood.
If you suspect that a friend or neighbor might be suffering from this animal hoarding syndrome, please contact your local health or police department. The hoarder's physical and psychological health are at risk.
And we must never ignore the plight of the hapless animals that are the victims of hoarding. Remember that we can make a difference in the lives of every creature, both great and small.
Eamon P. Riley is a professional dog trainer and animal behavioral consultant. For suggestions or comments, he can be e-mailed at dogmanusmc@aol.com or by calling 689-9483.