Humane Society Rescues Cats from Repeat Hoarder

PHOENIX, Arizona - Humane Society workers removed a dozen cats from the home of a repeat animal hoarder Tuesday.

They went to a house near 27th and Glendale Avenues.

Workers found the cats living in filthy conditions -- with items stacked up all over the place.

The Humane Society says some of the animals are in pretty rough shape.

"The cats were confined to two bedrooms and bathrooms that were empty, ironically enough, but the urine smell and of course the feces is just throughout the home. Our EMTs have to wear masks so they can perform the rescue," says Bretta Nelson, Arizona Humane Society.

The humane society says it has been to this home every year for the past five years..."  More & video

Northumberland County Council passes anti-hoarding policy

By VALERIE MACDONALD

Ontario, Canada - An increasing number of hoarding instances has caused Northumberland County's social housing department to pass a policy to stifle it.

Those with extreme issues will be offered psychological help, says department director Mark Darroch An educational program will be part of the new process, too, along with working with communities organizations including the local health unit and fire departments. ..."  Link

Carolyn Johnson - Reidsville, North Caroina

Oct 26, 2011:  Reidsville Woman Had 100+ Animals Taken from Home Before

A Reidsville woman who had more than 150 animals seized at her home this week had nearly the same number of animals seized from her home four years ago.

More than 150 cats, five dogs and four rabbits were taken from Carolyn Johnson's home in Reidsville on Monday. More than 100 of the cats ended up euthanized after suffering from upper respiratory infections.

"I might have had too many, and it was hard to supply for them, but I was trying," Johnson said.

Neighbors complained about the animals' welfare to multiple agencies. Johnson surrendered the animals to the Rockingham County Animal Shelter and a rescue group.

"I'm not going to say I was perfect. I mean I could have definitely had better stuff or more stuff, but nobody's perfect, especially with 150," Johnson said.

Animal control officials took more than 130 animals from Johnson's home in 2007. On Wednesday, Johnson showed FOX8's Brandon Jones books of records that she said proves her animals were taken care of. Johnson said she also asked for help in caring for the animals..."  More & video

Oct 25, 2011:  Over 100 Cats Rescued from Reidsville Home Euthanized

Officials said over 100 cats rescued from a Reidsville home on Monday were euthanized today.

Authorities with the Rockingham County Animal Shelter said the cats could not be saved.

Over 150 cats, five dogs and four rabbits were rescued from a home on Grady Road on Monday. The Animal Shelter had six vets check out the animals, but unfortunately, most of the cats had upper respiratory infections too severe to treat..."  More

Oct 24, 2011:  More Than 150 Cats Rescued from Home in Reidsville, Sheriff Says

Five veterinarians are working to provide medical attention to more than 150 cats that were seized Monday from a home on Grady Road in Reidsville.

Deputies said the animals were being housed in unsanitary and inhumane conditions. Several of the animals also looked underweight, were infested with parasites and were suffering from upper-respiratory.."  More

Dozens of animals seized from Indy home

Daniel Miller

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Dozens of animals were seized Tuesday from an Indianapolis home.

"Peacocks, turkeys, chickens," Tiffani Garmon said, recounting some of the animals her neighbor at 5142 Chelsea Road housed on the property.

Tipsters told 24-Hour News 8 on Tuesday afternoon that dozens of animals had been seized from the property.

Garmon lives across the street. She said she witnessed the owner neglecting the animals.

"I've noticed him hitting the horses and treating them as awfully. It's pretty sad," she said..." More & video

Kim Maggio, Perfect Paws - Frazier Park, CA

Oct 20, 2011:  

Frazier Park woman gets probation for animal cruelty

A Frazier Park woman was sentenced Thursday to three years probation and 240 hours of community service for animal cruelty.

Kim Maggio was arrested in February 2010 after numerous animals were found in what were described as deplorable conditions at her home on Elm Trail. The discovery was made by Kern County deputies who were evicting Maggio during a foreclosure.

Kern County Animal Control investigators found seven dogs, 12 cats and a rat living in the home, plus one small dead dog in a freezer.

"There was no fresh water for the animals," Lt. Dennis Smithson told Eyewitness News when Maggio was arrested last year.

Some of the animals legs were covered in feces. The house smelled of urine and feces to the point that it burned the eyes and throats of the officers, Smithson said.

Maggio claimed her home was a rescue operation.

She was convicted last month of 21 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, which was a reduction from the original felony counts she faced..."  Link & video

Feb 9, 2010: Woman Denies Claims of Animal Abuse

By: Carol Ferguson

A woman denies that animals were kept in horrible conditions in her Frazier Park home.

Kim Maggio, 49, faces 20 charges of felony animal cruelty after cats, dogs and a rat were seized by officers serving an eviction notice. Maggio said she kept animals in the house as a rescue operation, but conditions were always humane, she said.

"I have 20 felony charges against me, and there's not one sick animal and not one emaciated animal," Maggio said from jail on Tuesday. "Everybody was well cared for."

Animal control officers had gone with Kern County Sheriff's deputies on Monday to the home on Elm Trail to post the eviction notice. Officers said they had been told there was a large number of animals at the home.

"There was dog feces on the floor, there was no fresh water for the animals," Lt. Dennis Smithson told Eyewitness News on Monday. "And you're familiar with the ammonia smell? That was really bad. And there were animals, the cats locked in one particular bedroom, and so that was pretty bad."..." More & Video

Inmate Name:	MAGGIO, KIMBERLY ANNE
Inmate Number:	SO1886039

Court Case:	** NONE **
Crime Case:	AC10-03
Date/Time Booked:	02/08/2010 01:51 PM
Arresting Agency:	OTHER SHERIFF OR COUNTY
Booked On:	OPEN CHARGES
Bail Amount:	$100,000.00
Anticipated release date for this booking:	** PENDING **
Next Hearing Date/Time:	02/10/2010 08:00 AM (set by Law Enforcement)
Next Hearing Location:	South Division - Taft - Div/Dept A

Charges:
# Counts	Type	Code/Section	Description
20	FELONY	PC 597(B)>FELONY

Feb 8, 2010: Woman faces 20 animal cruelty charges

By James Burger

A woman with connections to convicted animal abuser Cynthia Gudger was arrested Monday on animal abuse charges of her own.

Kim Maggio, 49, of Frazier Park was evicted from her home on Elm Trail just before 10 a.m. Monday as a result of a bank foreclosure, a Kern County Sheriff's Department report stated.

During the eviction, which was attended by Kern County Animal Control and Code Enforcement officers, seven dogs, 12 cats and one rat were found living inside the home in "deplorable" conditions without fresh water.

One dead dog was in a freezer.

Most of the living dogs were small breeds, according to Lt. Dennis Smithson of the Kern County Sheriff's Department, who was at the home Monday morning.

The sheriff's report states that some of the animals' legs were covered in feces.

Inside the home the stench of urine and feces was so strong that it burned officers eyes and throats, reports stated.

Smithson said they didn't expect to find the terrible conditions in the home.

"We knew there were going to be a lot of animals," he said.

Animal control and code enforcement officials were there to take custody of whatever animals were found.

What they found was an unsanitary environment.

"It was pretty bad," Smithson said. "There was dog feces; you had to walk pretty carefully to get around it. There was no water. I mean there were water dishes but they were filled with urine and dog feces and what might have originally been water."..." More

Feb 8, 2010: Frazier Park woman accused of animal cruelty

A woman was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty Monday after being evicted from her home.

Kern County Sheriff's deputies served an eviction notice on 49-year-old Kimberly Maggio, because her home on Elm Trail was being foreclosed, according to a sheriff's office news release.

Deputies had prior knowledge of a large number of animals living on the property, so they called county animal control and code compliance officials to assist with the eviction.

Animal control officers found seven dogs, 12 cats and one rat living in "deplorable conditions," according to the sheriff's office. The animals didn't have fresh water, some of the animals were covered in feces and the smell of excrement was so strong that it burned the eyes and throats of the authorities serving the eviction, they said.

One dead dog was also found in the freezer.

Maggio faces 20 possible counts of felony animal cruelty, and the animals were seized by animal control, the sheriff's office said..." More & video

Feb 8, 2010: Dog Found In Freezer During Eviction Search, 1 Arrested

A woman was arrested on 20 counts of felony animal cruelty charges after deputies said they found dogs, cats and a rat in the foreclosed home she was living in. They also said they found a dead dog in a freezer.On Monday around 9:45 a.m., the Sheriff’s Civil Section served an eviction in the 600 block of Elm Trail in Frazier Park. The eviction was the result of a bank foreclosure.The sheriff’s office had prior knowledge that the resident had a large number of animals in the residence. As a result, Animal Control and Code Compliance were asked to assist..." More

Police uncover animal hoarding

Sheboygan police have uncovered what could be the worst case of animal hoarding that city has ever seen.

Authorities said a house was filled with so many pets and trash, it may have to be torn down.

Officials said they seized more than 40 cats, six dogs and five birds Thursday night.

The cats were reportedly underweight, some had fleas and respiratory infections.

A 54-year-old woman and 55-year-old man live in the home.

A friend of the couple says they loved their pets but things snow balled out of control.

"We hate to see things get this out of hand," said Melissa Dekanich with the Sheboygan County Humane Society. "I think the worst part was the smell. It burned your lungs, burned your eyes."

The future of the animals is unclear, but officials say they require lifelong care..."  More & video

ASPCA helps shelters deal with animal hoarding

Animal care and control officers from Northern Kentucky joined others from across the Commonwealth for special training last week on an issue the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) says is a growing concern across the nation: animal hoarding.

The Kentucky Animal Care and Control Association (KACCA), a Burlington-based organization made up of Kentucky's animal control officers and shelter workers, addressed the issue - which is characterized by the pathological hoarding of an unusual amount of animals as pets and the inability to properly care for them - at its annual training conference that just wrapped up on Friday. Attendees heard from a variety of speakers on the subject, including experts from the ASPCA who covered topics, including the psychology behind animal hoarding, best practices in responding to and investigating large-scale hoarding cases, evaluating animals seized during investigations and engaging the community to help in the fight against animal cruelty...


...For more information about animal hoarding, visit www.aspca.org. For details about the Kentucky Animal Care and Control Association, visit www.kacca.org."..."  More

57 Animals Seized From Deplorable Conditions

Mecca Rayne



Almost 60 small animals reportedly kept in deplorable conditions are now getting the care they deserve.


Just a few days ago, Animal Law Enforcement seized 57 animals, including rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, hedgehogs and rats from Jessica Elrod's home.



Elrod owns an animal business called Critter Crossings, which includes a small zoo and animal sitting.


According to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, the animals were living in terrible conditions: in cages, where piles of their own feces were mounting, lacking basic necessities such as food and water..."  More

Seized cats strickened with feline AIDS

• 
  

• Tom Dornin

The RSPCA said the cats were suffering from a range of untreated conditions including fight-wound abscesses, infectious diarrhoea, skin diseases, poor body weight and poor socialisation.

Almost half the adult cats also tested positive to feline AIDS and chief inspector Simon Richards said it was "highly likely" the suburban Chandlers Hill breeder, Glynne Sutcliffe, was selling cats already infected.

Chief veterinarian Brad Ward said feline AIDS was an incurable and infectious disease that was easily spread between cats through contact with saliva and bite wounds.

"While there is no cure, cats (with the disease) can live for many years, especially if they are given prompt medical attention when necessary and with supporting care," Dr Ward said..."  More

Collecting trouble: With its causes unclear, hoarding is challenging to treat

By SUSAN JURGELSKI


It's a dirty little secret kept behind closed doors.

Only, it's not always so little.

Inside, piles of newspapers, mail, empty food containers, overstuffed boxes and overflowing trash bags that somehow didn't get thrown away or were too hard to part with close in like prison bars, and there doesn't seem to be any escape route from the hush-hush squalor of hoarding.

Gary Horning, bureau chief of code compliance and inspections for the City of Lancaster, recalls a case where a woman had so much stuff that she could not get to the shower and had to go to the Y to bathe..."  More

Featured Expert On Hoarders TV Show Giving Back with 'Happy Hoardidays'

Press Release Source: 1800HOARDERS.COM On Tuesday October 18, 2011, 10:00 am EDT

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- "A new annual tradition for hoarding families has begun at 1800HOARDERS.COM," Stated Cory Chalmers the company's President and Featured Expert on A&E's smash hit "Hoarders." Steri-Clean Inc. - the parent company of 1800HOARDERS.COM - is looking for two needy families that would otherwise not be able to afford a clean-up and would like a team of volunteers to clean out and de-clutter their homes, just in time for the holidays.

Chalmers is looking for one home in Northern California and one in Southern California and is asking hoarders to submit their story to info@steri-clean.com. In the subject line of the e-mail they should write "Happy Hoardiday Applicant" and they should attach a photo of each room of their home, to the e-mail. Two winners will be selected and notified in the middle of November.

DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS

"We are looking for volunteers, about 20 per site," says Chalmers. Anyone interested in volunteering to help with the cleanup and give a hoarding family a happier holiday is encouraged to call 1-800-HOARDERS (1-800-462-7337) or e-mail Steri-Clean directly at info@steri-clean.com. Volunteers will be provided with everything necessary to help out, including tools, equipment, safety clothing, etc.

Donations are also being accepted to help defray the costs including dumpsters/disposal, meals, drinks, refreshments and safety gear for the volunteers. Donations made be made by e-mail atHappyHoardidaysDonations@Steri-Clean.com . Chalmers' in his true TV fashion explained "this is a great opportunity for everyone to give back and make a huge difference in two families lives!"

Media interested in covering the event or desiring additional information or interviews should contact Mr. Chalmers directly at 1-888-462-7337 Ext. 111 or by e-mail at cchalmers@steri-clean.com

More on Animal Hoarding…

By Jessica Sholl


(from JULY 16TH, 2010)

Here’s an information-packed article about animal hoarding, partially written by a fellow member of the Children of Hoarders group. There’s also a good sidebar about how to tell the difference between a legitimate animal shelter and a “rescue” in name only. I wish I’d read this before we got Abraham Lincoln. We absolutely still would have taken him, but we also would have kept the contact information of the woman running the so-called shelter — and done everything possible to stop her from harming more animals.

One way you can help animals who’ve been victims of hoarders is by applying to be part of the National Disaster Animal Response Team(N-DART) of The Humane Society of the United States. This group deploys to disaster zones like hurricane Katrina as well as animal-hoarded homes to rescue and shelter the animals until they can be placed with proper caregivers..."  More

Man Jailed for Catching 13,000 Wild Birds

by Jake Richardson

Most hobbies such as stamp collecting are benign, but a forty-year old Swedish man was collecting wild birds. Over about a five-year period he was convicted of taking 13,000 wild birds from natural habitats. It is believed he also took viable eggs, meaning they would not have been able to hatch. He carefully documented each bird in an extensive database. Some of the birds were protected species such as the three-toed woodpecker and the eagle-owl. These two had experienced declines related to DDT exposure and conservation programs had been implemented to help them recover. Efforts to help the eagle owl date back several decades. In 1983 a breeding program had just two wild eagle owl pairs for making chicks.

The man’s strange behavior likely had a negative impact on the protected birds recovery. Additionally, some of the birds he put in cages, which undoubtedly caused them to suffer. For his actions the man was sentenced to eighteen months in prison. His attorney said it was just a hobby that became overzealous, but the man was convicted of animal cruelty, violating animal protection laws, and hunting crimes. “The extent of the number of birds that this guy collected is a bit terrifying. Thankfully this is pretty unusual. We don’t come across this type of collectors very often,” said the chairman of the Swedish Ornithological Society. (Source: thelocal.se)

Animal hoarding is a form of compulsive hoarding, and it is believed by some to by a sign of obsessive compulsive disorder, though others see it as potentially an independent disorder. Animal hoarders often believe they are helping animals by collecting and housing them, even when it is easily observed their living conditions are unsanitary or too crowded. They also often have a strong emotional attachment to the animals they have collected, though their behavior can also cause them harm. In the case of a single person collecting 13,000 wild birds, it clearly appears to be a case of a mental health issue..."  More

Hoarding a sign of mental illness

By Josh White

WASHINGTON — Bonnie Klem has been walking into homes for more than 15 years, and the signs that something is wrong are often visible from the sidewalk: There’s an odor, or the blinds are always drawn. There are piles of rusted fenders on the lawn or several broken vacuum cleaners on the front steps. Sometimes the back-yard grass is barely visible through piles of stuffed plastic bags.

Inside, stacks of newspapers reach the ceiling. Toppled boxes, exploded cans of spaghetti sauce, office supplies and garbage block the hallways. The stairs are crumbling, and the floors sometimes give way to the weight of one person’s stuff.

These exceptionally cluttered homes fall into the category of hoarding, a problem that local, regional and national authorities consider a matter of public health and public safety. It is also now recognized as a significant mental health issue, one that experts say causes its sufferers to accumulate objects to the point that they become emotionally attached to and perhaps endangered by them..."  More

City Seizes 75 Chickens from Apartment Complex

JOHN PERERA

PASADENA, Texas - City officials say they rescued 75 chickens from a Pasadena apartment complex Thursday.

Pasadena PD had received several calls regarding chickens and junk vehicles in the 5000 block of Oak Avenue.

Code enforcement and health department officials went to the complex to take the chickens. The animals are now in the custody of the humane society and the city of Pasadena..."  More