Animal hoarding the dark side to pets

Alister Thomson

DR Tania Signal suspects there are a fair few “crazy cat ladies” out there.

The CQUniversity senior lecturer in psychology looks at the link between the deliberate harm of animals and anti-social behaviour and has just released research into animal hoarders.

She presented her research, commissioned by the Department of Biosecurity, at the CQUniversity showcase last week.

While animal hoarding had received attention within psychology, the causes of it were relatively unknown, she said.

She defined hoarders as having a compulsive need to “obtain and control animals, coupled with a failure to recognise their suffering”.

Often this was manifested in a filthy living environment with a powerful stench emanating from numerous cages filled with dogs and cats.

Dr Signal gave the example of a house in Mt Morgan where the authorities found 87 dogs, 100 cats and a couple of goats inside.

However, most hoarders did not start out with the intention of being cruel to animals.

She says it's an under-recognised problem where it's “very hard to get access to the people doing the hoarding”.

She contends that while animal hoarding is viewed as an “animal welfare problem,” the people doing the hoarding are not getting access to the psychological help they need..." More

Phoenix apartment yields 25 cats in squalor

by D.S. Woodfill

Animal welfare workers removed as many as 25 cats including some that were feral from a squalid Phoenix apartment on Saturday.

Arizona Humane Society medical technicians found the animals living in filthy conditions living on top of their own feces, urine and other dead cats inside a unit at Whispering Pines at 36th Street and Thomas Road.

Bretta Nelson, a Humane Society spokeswoman, said the odor was so pungent, she could smell it standing 10 feet from the apartment's entrance..." More

About 140 Neglected Dogs Rescued In East Texas

he hospitalized owner of about 140 starving dogs seized in Northeast Texas could face charges over the neglected animals.

The Marshall News-Messenger reported Wednesday that the animals
have been rescued from property near Jefferson.

Humane Society of Marion County leader Caroline Wedding says some animals were in cages, while others were left to roam the woods. She says the dogs are being treated for flea infestations, skin diseases, infected eyes and starvation.

Officials say the owner, a 64-year-old man whose name has not been released, had been away from the property since last month after being admitted to a hospital in Shreveport, La. Some of his relatives contacted animal rescue authorities, who began seizing the dogs last Friday..." More

Warren Co. woman forfeits more than 100 dogs

WARREN CO., Tenn. – The owner of nearly 125 dogs forfeited her rights to majority of the rescued animals in court on Tuesday.

Of the rescued animals Wilma Jean Jones, 72, forfeited all but four dogs and five birds.

Last week nearly 125 dogs and five birds were found living in deplorable conditions and lacked veterinary care at the woman's Warren County home.

The animals are being cared for by the Animal Rescue Corps and are currently being kept at the state fairgrounds until they are ready to be placed up for adoption.

All of the animals will be spayed or neutered before they will be sent to individual shelters throughout the Mid-State.

At this time, Jones has not been charged with any offenses.." More

50 poodles seized in drug raid

Authorities say more than four dozen poodles that were kept in a filthy single-wide mobile home have been seized after police found the animals during a drug raid in Centerton.

Two men were arrested on marijuana-related charges Thursday, but Benton County sheriff’s deputies told the Northwest Arkansas Times that they opted against an animal neglect charge and instead took away the poodles.

Investigators say the suspects ran a poodle-breeding operation out of the trailer.

Animal control officers said the dogs were sociable, but they had parasites, matted fur and unclipped nails.

One of the 51 dogs was left behind. Authorities say the gravely ill wife of one of the suspects wanted to keep the poodle and be buried with it after she dies..." More

Officials seized 17 animals from the house of a woman accused of animal abuse.

By: Alisa Link

Ottumwa Police confirm that they seized 10 dogs and 7 cats from the house of Noelle Stanbridge late Friday afternoon.

Stanbridge was arrested after a concerned citizen turned in a video that officials say depicts her abusing a dog in the back yard of her Ottumwa home.

In addition to animal cruelty, Stanbridge, who claims she is an animal rights activist, is charged with seven counts of failure to license a dog, three counts of failure to vaccinate a dog and one count of operating as a dealer without a license..." More

28 Animals Seized After Dead Cats, Dogs Found In Freezer

LANTANA, Fla. -- A Palm Beach County pet shop owner was arrested on animal cruelty charges after police said dead animals were found inside her apartment freezer.

The investigation began last Friday when animal control workers visited Debora Van Oort's shop, Forever Puppies, at 308 W. Lantana Road, after police received a complaint.

Animal control officers found two dead golden retriever puppies in the store, which had no air conditioning, according to police. A necropsy revealed the puppies had no food in their systems, police said.

Animal control workers then moved on to Van Oort's apartment. Inside, they said they found eight dogs that were dehydrated, five cats and a hedgehog. But the most disturbing site of all, according to animal control, was what they found inside Van Oort's freezer: five dead dogs and cats.

"Animals all over the place, walking in feces, urine, everything, very malnourished, no food. Some of the animals were even eating their own feces to try to stay alive," said Sgt. Sean Scheller, of the Lantana Police Department. "They found five Ziploc baggies in the freezer. That's why we're working with animal control now to see their cause of death.".." More, video & pics