Animal Hoarding in Florida: Addressing the Ongoing Animal, Human, and Public Health Crisis

Animal hoarding is a big problem in Florida that doesn’t get much attention. It’s when someone has a lot of animals and can’t take care of them properly. This causes suffering for the animals and can also put people at risk, like children and older adults. Hoarders’ homes are usually really dirty and can be a hazard to the neighborhood. It’s hard to know exactly how many cases there are in Florida, but nationally there are thousands of cases every year. Animal hoarding occurs when someone has more pets than they can take care of properly. This can lead to neglect and suffering for the animals, as well as health problems for the owner. It’s not just cats and dogs that can be affected, but also farm animals and wildlife. Dealing with these cases is expensive for animal shelters and can go on for a long time if the hoarder doesn’t get help. Hoarding cases can be a big problem for the courts. In one case, a woman named Vikki Kittles was charged with animal cruelty and it took years for her to go to trial because she kept causing problems. She represented herself in court, filed a lot of legal papers, and made it really hard for the judges to do their jobs. She was eventually found guilty and sent to jail, but she keeps getting into trouble with animals in different states. This shows that the court system is not really set up to deal with hoarding cases and the mental health issues that can come with them. Some people have a problem with hoarding animals, and it’s a new area of study for mental health professionals. The term “animal hoarding” was first used in 1999 by HARC. It’s now considered a type of hoarding disorder, but it’s not officially listed as a subtype in the standard classification of mental disorders used by professionals. Mental health experts think that people who hoard animals can be grouped into three types: overwhelmed caregivers, rescuers, and exploiters. Overwhelmed caregivers are the most likely to realize there’s a problem and are more open to intervention. People who hoard animals often believe they are helping them, but they actually provide poor care and oppose euthanasia. They may try to hide their hoarding and can be manipulative and lacking in empathy. Lawyers may be asked to help them with legal issues, such as setting up a nonprofit or resolving property disputes. A big red flag is having a lot of animals and not knowing the total number in their care. There are some signs that a rescue group might not be legit. The animals they keep might seem sick and unhappy, and their place might be really dirty and smelly. They might also not let people visit their location and keep taking in more animals, even though they can’t take care of the ones they already have. They might also not try to find new homes for the animals. If you notice these things, it’s important to report it to a trusted adult or animal welfare organization. Animal hoarding is a difficult problem to solve, with almost all hoarders repeating the behavior. It’s hard to stop because animal control and welfare agencies focus on the animals, not the people involved. Media coverage often portrays hoarders as well-meaning or loving, which can lead to more animals being given to them. Lawyers and judges can help break the cycle by working together with animal agencies, law enforcement, and mental health services. The laws about animal cruelty could also be changed to better address the mental health issues involved in hoarding. Some court cases in Florida have shown that it can be difficult to apply the law on animal cruelty to situations of animal hoarding. In one case, a person had many poodles in cages in a van without food, water, or air, but the trial court initially dismissed the charges. In another case, a person had neglected and mistreated several animals, but the trial judge reduced the charges because of confusion about the law. To address this issue, Florida could change its laws to specifically address animal hoarding and provide guidance on mental health assessments and sentencing options for hoarders. Local governments could also create ordinances to help intervene in hoarding situations. It would also help to track and report these cases and provide education for attorneys, judges, and the public about the true costs and nature of animal hoarding. This article talks about animal hoarding and the efforts to understand and address the problem. It discusses the creation of a task force in Florida to deal with the hoarding crisis in the state. The article also mentions the Animal Hoarding Research Consortium and the work they have done to help people and animals affected by hoarding. It also discusses a specific case study of animal hoarding. Overall, the article emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing animal hoarding as a serious issue. Animal hoarding is a mental illness where people collect too many animals and can’t take care of them properly. Some lawyers may need to help hoarders get the mental health help they need, even if it means telling someone about their illness. It’s important to reassure hoarders that it’s okay to accept help and work on their concerns, like finding good homes for their animals. There are also laws in Florida that deal with animal hoarding. The court reversed a trial court decision, saying that the law against depriving animals of food, water, air, and exercise is clear and not too vague. Another case also supported this decision. There are laws in Illinois and a proposed law in Florida to address animal hoarding. A group called HARC has created a plan to help people and animals in hoarding situations. Gregg Riley Morton, an attorney, wrote this article on behalf of the Animal Law Section.

Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/animal-hoarding-in-florida-addressing-the-ongoing-animal-human-and-public-health-crisis/