I have been a lifelong lover of animals.  I don't find it odd that I
fell into the job that I did (Zoonotic disease Research Analyst)
working for the state.  I've become involved in a  lot of animal
oriented projects at a much higher magnitude, but I remember, and
cherish every year that I spent in animal rescue.  And many times it
was a literal rescue - from a treed cat at midnight who's flea collar
had slipped under a forearm and had litterally embedded itself into the

skin and muscle layers, to the feral which had been hit by a car and
was hiding under some parked trailors.  I remember it seeming like
hours while I lay belly down in the cold mud, inching forward, and
praying that I wouldn't lose the cat.

The first time I was called in to see the results of animal hoarding
was under in the worst circumstances possible - after a fire.  I was
appalled and devastated.  Trying to rescue those that had a chance, and
having a vet immediately euthanize all the feral cats that were locked
in the basement and suffered smoke inhalation and some burns.
The woman who owned the house fit the classic profile of an animal
hoarder (or just a plain hoarder of STUFF).  Even after the fire, it
was evident that there were cat and dog food cans littering almost the
entire house, newspapers stacked from floor the ceiling, and on the
stairs as well.  Knowing that she was a very large, disabled woman, I
could see why she wasn't able to make it down the stairs, and had to be
taken out of a second floor window to escape the fire and smoke.
 It's not simply that she was "crazy"; although she certainly had an
OCD problem, she sincerely loved her pets and believed  that they were
like surrogate children to her.
Pet hoarding or collecting usually stems from ignorance rather than
malice aforethought.

When I speak on animal hoarding, I recount my own experiences, but I
would like to hear from other people who have been through similar
situations.  As a public health official, and a member of a Hoarding
Task Force which has brought agencies and organizations together so
that they may work together in times of crisis, animal hoarding or not.

I knew of one woman within our Animal Resce organization, who was a cat
"collector".
After several mishaps at her house which resulted in the deaths of the
cats involved, and other more "mysterious" deaths (probably a
combination of stress and malnourishment) - she was banned from taking
anymore foster animals from our organization, or adopting any.
She, unfortunately, refused to see the problem, and  finally went off
on her own to start another animal welfare group - after we had
demanded that she relinquish all cats in her possession that were
fosteree's from our organization.  We were soon able to disperse them
into appropriate homes.

I have worked with Dr. Randy Frost, and am on the Task Force with him,
but don't honestly believe that he knows as much about animal hoarding
as the papers that he's published report.  I hope to add to this
deficit of first hand knowledge which he has, and which I or we have
experienced first hand.

Thanks!
Claudia