companion animal hoarder- proposed Illinois legislation

[Catherinedana]

Distressing that it's sort of an "all or nothing" situation here. Yes, there needs to be legislation to protect animals that are living in a hoarding environment. Does having 7 companion animals make you a hoarder? No. I have 10 birds. They all fit neatly into one room. I have no intention of getting another (unless the universe has other plans for me ). They are well-fed, clean and loved. I have seen hoarding situations and it is EXTREMELY OBVIOUS when you are confronted with it. *sigh*

Just a for instance: if that legislation was passed in FL, and I had to give up 3 of my (happy, healthy, well-tended) birds, what do I do with them? Give them to a shelter? Then what? They sit there unloved until they are put to sleep? They die from fright or despair (birds do, you know)? It doesn't make any sense.

[TMC]

Hi all! I'm a newbie I followed a link about this proposed legislation and it brought me here to this site and this discussion board. Thank you for having me and forgive my long winded rant here, lol!

I understand the need to stop the 'out of control animal hoarders' when they live in filth and neglect to provide their animals with simple basic vet care. But that type of hoarding is a mental health issue and should be addressed as such.

With that being said, I feel the only thing this legislation will do is cause more over crowding in shelters, more unnessesary euthanizing, and more cruel dumping and abandoning of these companion animals when their owners fear a prosecution of having more than 7.

Next let me say, I am in no way an animal hoarder even though I do not run a 501c3 shelter. To explain I live in a small rural town where there are no licensed shelters or animals control for that matter. If a call come in about a 'nuisance animal', or local police are dispatched out to investigate and take care of the problem as they see fit. Usually the animals are shot or run over with their police car. True story. Last summer a police officer was called for a sick raccoon in my yard and instead of shooting it he ran it over in my grass while I screamed and cried my opinion about it.

When I first moved to my neighborhood 3 years I quickly discovered stray cats everywhere here and they were allowed to breed and muliply and were living in the storm sewers. I then discovered one neighbor was trapping and poisoning them, so I took matters into my own hands. I had them all spayed, neutered and vaccinated and then I built a huge enclosure for these strays which has a big fenced in outside area with access to half a heated garage for inside housing. I keep 10 cats out there that are just not suitable for adoption and 10 cats at my parent's barn, and I also have 7 house cats, (one of who just turned 20 years old).....27 in total that I keep myself. In addition to the above cats, I have adopted out 9 others to nursing homes as resident cats and I have re-homed 15 more to good families who I keep in contact with. That's an addional total of 24 more.

I am financially able to care for them and all are healthy and clean and I should have taken out stock with my vet, lol! And I have lots of pictures to prove this . I cannot understand how they can pass a legislation of this sorts for EVERYONE and define ANYONE with more than 7 companion animals a "Companion Animal Hoader" no matter how good their care, and press criminal charges on anyone who does.

Funny how you can now carry a gun into public with just a simple permit now. And you can 'pack' while you grocery shop or wherever else you want to take it.....but more than 7 animals will be a criminal offense!