I'm in shock right now....

[moosmom]

I'm watching the news tonight and another cat hoarder has been arrested. This jerk has property all over New Haven county. It seems he's been keeping hundreds of cats at his different properties and the cops have been watching them all. This JERK'S property is where my Ari was with 50 other cats when he was rescued. The news station actually showed the conditions my poor baby had to live in. They've found more cats at another one of his properties. He wouldn't allow them into the home so the cops had to get a search warrant. More cats. Another 25, as well as many dogs. He is being charged with animal cruelty. The whole story made me cry to think MY little boy had to deal with that kind of filth, then to have to be in a cage for 2 1/2 months. I went over to him and covered my boy in kisses. I love him so much and and blessed to have him here with me safe, sound and happy.

The police are watching ALL of his properties.

[Freedom]

The police are watching ALL of his properties.

They must be trying to gather enough evidence to step in and shut him down, and get the animals out.

So glad Ari is with YOU!

[Catty1]

Oh, Donna! When you finish kissing Ari (add lots for me), I bet you'll want to take a baseball bat to that idiot.

Yes, it's a mental illness and all - but it hurts so many innocent and defenseless animals.

When I read or hear about some of the stuff other animals suffer, I hig and kiss my two boys - one wild for the first 2 - 3 years of his life, and the other dumped at about 8 months of age (likely when he started spraying.... )

I pray they can find foster homes for all the dogs and cats, and that they are healthy enough to be cared for and then adopted out.

HUGS!

[Medusa]

Unless and until the law cracks down on these hoarders, and I mean HARD, nothing will change. Perhaps it is a mental illness, I don't know. What I do know is that there's an "itis" or an "ism" or a "syndrome" for everything now to let people off the hook from taking personal and legal responsibility. Who suffers for it? The animals. I don't wish to appear unsympathetic towards people since my philosophy has always been "people first" but that doesn't mean that they should get away w/mistreatment and neglect of the very animals that they claim to love. If there is no penalty, they do it again and more animals suffer as a result. Yes, everyone deserves a second chance...TO DO RIGHT, not to repeat the same offense. I can't even watch these news reports any more; I get so angry and sad. Donna, your Ari is one lucky boy to have you and I've read your posts throughout the years and know just how devoted you are to your cat family. I can only imagine how you must feel about this particular hoarder. When you're finished giving him lots o' lovin', give him a belly rub or two from me and the fur posse, will ya? And sleep well because you've done a great job, girl.

[moosmom]

Unless and until the law cracks down on these hoarders, and I mean HARD, nothing will change

Absolutely, girl!!!

Thanks, girls. I adore all my babies. They've kept me grounded. Beginning with Mollie Rose, 15 years ago.

[cassiesmom]

I saw a story on Animal Planet yesterday about a man who had 80 cats in his home. The home looked well tended, at least from the outside. I think animal hoarders need support and assistance from animal control as well as the mental health and legal communities. It's a situation without easy answers.

[Medusa]

I saw a story on Animal Planet yesterday about a man who had 80 cats in his home. The home looked well tended, at least from the outside.

And there's the rub: at least from the outside. I can only imagine what the inside must have been like. I'm sorry but no one should have 80 cats in their house. I can certainly understand how things can quickly get out of control w/the cat population but when a person sees that the number of cats is quickly growing, s/he needs to ask for help and, if no help is forthcoming, then s/he needs to stop taking in more cats. Unless a person is independently wealthy, there's no way the average person can afford good vet care, let alone food, for such a volume of cats. And one can only imagine the condition of that house. We all know how diligent we must be in cleaning and sanitizing our surroundings every day; it's an endless job. After all, it's a house for humans first and we owe it to ourselves and to our families to have cleanliness as a priority. As I mentioned, I'm not unsympathetic to these people but these are the ones we hear about. How many more are out there that we know nothing about, that is, until the smell becomes unbearable in the neighborhood and when an investigation takes place, then we see the tragedy of sick and/or dead cats and humans living in filthy, unlivable conditions. It's all just such a shame for everyone involved but especially for the cats.

[kimlovescats]

I think that most (maybe not all) of the hoarders start off with good intentions but their lack of mental stability and ability to reason, ends up taking over and they quickly become overwhelmed. I also believe that some of them already have problems with self-esteem and possibly loneliness and tend to cling to their pets for feelings of self-worth. Unfortunately that too is bound to diminish once they realize they can no longer care for them. It really is a sad situation from all aspects.

[Medusa]

I think that most (maybe not all) of the hoarders start off with good intentions but their lack of mental stability and ability to reason, ends up taking over and they quickly become overwhelmed. I also believe that some of them already have problems with self-esteem and possibly loneliness and tend to cling to their pets for feelings of self-worth. Unfortunately that too is bound to diminish once they realize they can no longer care for them. It really is a sad situation from all aspects.

How true.