Saturday, October 10, 2009

ASPCA Leads Intervention To Save 25 Dogs In NYC Hoarding Case


Last month, the ASPCA, NYC Animal Care & Control and the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals worked with local police to rescue 25 dogs from an animal hoarder in Queens, NY. For years, neighbors complained about the stench and noise, but it wasn’t until a neighbor had enough and contacted a city official about the “increasing number of animals.

According to the ASPCA, after the three animal groups worked out an official intervention, the hoarder, a man in his 50’s, voluntarily gave up the dogs.

The dogs breeds were Beagles, Miniature Pinschers and the mix of both breeds. They were suffering from an array of medical conditions and four of the dogs were pregnant.

Allison Cardona, ASPCA Director of Disaster Response stated, “Hoarding situations are complex and depending upon a number of factors, including the mental health status of the hoarder, they may or may not be referred to the criminal justice system. It is vital that authorities be notified of hoarding situations so that steps can be taken to ensure the protection of the animals. This kind of problem will not go away by itself. It will only get worse. That is why people need to speak up!”

She continued by saying, “Like many psychological conditions, there are probably multiple underlying causes for animal-hoarding behavior. These are not situations that can or should be handled by animal welfare agencies alone.”

The dogs are being cared for by shelters and the ASPCA. They have never been socialized, walked on a leash or exercised.

Image courtesy of ASPCA