Animal Hoarding Disorder (Research, Video 6:51)

Thoughts of hoarding generally center around people who live in households where excessive “things” have taken over in an unhealthy manner. Several television shows have featured this disorder while emphasizing causes and solutions to this addiction. Animal Hoarding Disorder, however, includes the takeover of animals and is viewed as a new mental disorder that is different from Hoarding Disorder

An Animal Hoarding Disorder study was done with 33 individuals with an average age of 61.39 years. They had all lived with large numbers of animals an average of 23.09 years. Over half of them also were hoarders of inanimate objects. The average number of animals per hoarder was approximately 41. The study determined that the following significant differences between this form of hoarding and animal hoarding:

1)    Unlike hoarded objects, hoarded animals generally do not obstruct the household environments.

2)    Animal hoarders have more of an affectionate bond with lives and not with objects.

What is the psychological mindset of animal hoarders? They explain their views in this video displaying the results of their collecting and controlling animals that love them back. Often in denial about their addiction, some hoard hundreds of animals and refer to them as their “kids” while their real relatives hope for successful interventions to help cure them. Most hoarders relapse without ongoing therapy.

Note: After the video starts, click the Watch on Youtube link on the last line.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at online and offline booksellers.
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog