1. A Harm Reduction Approach to Animal Hoarding
Dr. Linda Jacobson DVM
FRENCH INTRODUCTION
EXPLAIN THE TITLE CHANGE

3. Definition of Animal Hoarding (HARC 2002)
Having more than the typical number of companion animals
Inability to provide minimum standards of care - nutrition, sanitation, shelter, veterinary care
Denial of this inability and its impact on the animals and humans involved

4. Crazy cat lady

5. Severe and Protracted Cruelty
Being kept by a hoarder is a slow kind of death for the animal. Actually, it is a fate worse than death. Randall Lockwood PhD, ASPCA In no other type of cruelty is there a wider gulf between the intent to benefit the animals and the harm inflicted on the animals. Frank McMillan DVM, Best Friends
READ DESCRIPTION HELPING TO HOARDING

6. Hoarding Disorder Mental illness Criteria:
Pathological inability to part with possessions, regardless of their actual value
Need to save the items and pathological distress linked to parting with them
Inability to use living spaces normally e.g. kitchen, bedroom, entrances/exits
Distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning

7. Other Features of Hoarding Disorder
Often not aware that there is a problem
Associated problems e.g. indecisiveness, perfectionism, procrastination, disorganization
May have other mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, ADHD, alcohol abuse

8. Animal Hoarding Disorder
“Special subgroup” of hoarding disorder
Main differences:
Poorer insight
Extent of unsanitary conditions
Things can’t suffer, but animals can – adds extra urgency, criminal aspect
Worst case scenario is worse
READ THE PASSAGE FROM “STUFF”

9. Animal Hoarders Typically middle-aged or older unmarried woman
May be well-educated
May have a care-giving background
All income levels but often on disability, retired or unemployed

10. Animal Hoarders Animals take up most of their time and money
Often socially isolated
Some believe they have a special ability to communicate with animals
Poor insight − strongly believe they are helping the animals and that they love them

11. Theoretical framework
Disordered attachment as children – unstable, abusive, neglectful parenting, chaotic lifestyles
Attempt to achieve identity, self-esteem and control through animals
“Triggering event” – major crisis, trauma, loss
Animal hoarding
Patronek & Nathanson In: Animal Maltreatment 2016

12. Animal Lovers in Over Their Heads?
Mythology:
“Eccentric”
“Love animals too much”
“Good intentions”
“Just got out of hand”
“Wouldn’t want to call them a hoarder”
The “good intentions” are at odds with the severe cruelty and suffering

13. Perspective Not reasonable to lump all hoarders together
“Hoarding disorder”
Other mental illness
Other causes – potentially on many different levels
Social enabling, inertia and pet overpopulation are important factors

14. True Motivation Not Understood
Animal hoarders are rarely asked
“Love”?
Control?
Compulsion?
Attachment?

15. Who Controls Whom? Hoarders’ lives are often taken over by the animals
Time
Living space
Finances
Social interactions
May move out of the main dwelling and turn it over to the animals

16. Harm Reduction Term originates from the drug addition field
More harm  less harm
Designed to lessen the negative social and physical consequences of harmful human behaviors
Contrasts with abstinence and punitive/criminal models

17. Why the Shift in Focus? The“war on drugs” has failed
Focuses on enforcement instead of treatment
Criminalizes the victim; often already disempowered, vulnerable and marginalized
Despite enormous resources, has not solved the problem

18. https://theconversation.com/what-works-best-in-the-war-on-drugs-31015

19. https://theconversation.com/what-works-best-in-the-war-on-drugs-31015

20. “Seize and Prosecute” Model
Slow or not possible
Costly
Very traumatic for hoarder
Poor cooperation with law enforcement
Prosecution often fails
Not viewed as “cruelty”
Mental health issues
Recurrence rate %

21. Can Harm Reduction Work for Hoarding?
Boston Metropolitan Housing – 98% success with object hoarders.
Jesse Edsell-Vetter

22. Elements of the Boston Approach
Goal is to keep the person in their home – paradigm shift
“When working with vulnerable people, relationships are everything.”
Communicate clearly, provide support and help
Follow-up is essential

23. Harm Reduction in Animal Hoarding
Identify problems early
Build a personal relationship, build trust
Counselling and animal care, spay/neuter
Transport/mobile services
Surrenders
Longterm support and follow up
Dana Ruiz, ASPCA, CFHS Conference 2016

24. Clutter Image Rating Scale

25. Limits to Harm Reduction Model in Animal Hoarding
Animal agencies
May not be aware of this approach or willing to work with the hoarder
Outraged and angry by the neglect and illness
Client may refuse to accept help
Animal suffering or client self-neglect too severe to allow a gradual or staged approach
Immediate danger or risk e.g. fire hazard, children involved

26. THS: A Study in Black & White
Volunteer cat rescuer
Colony cats, TNR
Noticed new cats coming for food
Tracked them to a nearby home
Not the actual cats!

27. Next Steps Rescuer connected with another rescuer
Offered help – food, litter, healthcare (letter)
Slow process
Agreed to have 4 cats sterilized, surrendered 12 kittens, surrendered 9 adults initially presented for S/N
Not the actual cats/people!

28. The Hoarder
Single mom in her 50s, young-adult son, part-time professional job, subsidized housing
20 year history of hoarding
Cats bred out of control – approximately 40 cats and kittens
Not the actual cats!

29. Medical issues
Not the actual cats!

30. Why Is This Working? Help was offered, not imposed Persistence
Non-threatening, non-judgmental approach
Hoarder recognized the negative impact of the cats on her life and finances
Assurance that cats were treatable and adoptable, and would not be euthanized unless compelling medical reasons arose

31. Role of Community Volunteers: THS Study
Route of surrender
Groups
Number
Via volunteer, from home 11
172
Via volunteer, from rescue hoarder 3
203
Direct - hoarder, family member 5 67
Seized, shelter transfer 1 19

32. Training volunteers?

33. Case Study: Ringworm Cat Summer

34. Ringworm Cats
Toronto Animal Services received a complaint – “too many cats” in an apartment
Previous history of having surrendered cats to THS and TAS
Vulnerable adult
Loss of adult child thought to have triggered hoarding
velvet

35. Collaboration Toronto “SPIDER” network
THS took and treated approximately 31 moms and kittens
Formal or informal task forces are strongly recommended for hoarding response

36. Outcome
All cats surrendered to THS successfully treated and adopted, including some undersocialized cats like Velvet
Four admitted for treatment then S/N and return to owner through TAS
1 year later – still has only 3 cats. Ongoing follow-up by TAS
Velvet

37. Population growth: THS study
Kittens 47%; breeding-age adult 51%
Intact: 87%
Intact females who were pregnant: 18%

38. What We’ve Learned Understand the environment
“Carrot and stick” can be helpful, hoarder may not be willing to change without both
Should have a hoarding or situation coordinator – across agencies?
Without long-term commitment and long-term follow-up, recurrence is inevitable. Take the long view in hoarding cases.

39. Key Resources
Hoarding of animals: An under-recognized public health problem in a difficult-to-study population (Patronek, Public Health Reports 114:81-87, 1999)
Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things (Frost, Steketee 2010)
Inside Animal Hoarding: The Case of Barbara Erickson and Her 552 dogs. (Arluke, Killeen, 2009)
Understanding Animal Neglect and Hoarding (Patronek, Nathanson In: Animal Maltreatment: Forensic mental health issues and evaluations, Levitt et al, eds, 2016)
Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium

40. Acknowledgements Dr. Steph Black Dr. Shane Bateman Dr. Dani Boes
Dr. Ariel Brunn
Fiona Venedam, TAS
Black & White rescuer

41. Questions? ljacobson@torontohumanesociety.com