Hoarding disorders come in various forms, but perhaps one of the most alarming is hoarding animals. Recently, a couple in France adopted 159 cats, only to be told by the court to cease all pet ownership and to pay a fine after being diagnosed with animal hoarding disorder.
This incident took place in the French city of Nice. While the number of cats may not sound excessive, they also had seven dogs.
Though not an overwhelmingly large number, the more serious issue lay in the housing situation. The living space for over a hundred little lives was confined to the couple's 80-square-meter apartment.
The space is probably just a bit larger than a spacious two-bedroom apartment, but accommodating over 160 animals makes the conditions inside the house quite unimaginable, leaving the neighbors in utter distress.
According to reports, the couple is not young anymore, with the elder sister being 68 and the older brother being 52. This isn't the first time they've caused trouble due to hoarding animals. As far back as 2014, the couple was investigated for keeping 13 cats and a dog in a space of just 18 square meters.
The situation escalated dramatically from 2018 onwards when Big Sister took three cats and three dogs from her parents and brought them home to care for them. Initially, this seemed fairly normal, albeit a bit much for the average person to handle – six pets in total.
However, what followed can only be described as a series of ill-advised decisions that spiraled out of control. Big Sister proceeded to adopt an additional 30 stray cats, a "charitable" act akin to stocking up on troubles. With the household already bursting at the seams with pets and the fecal matter reaching critical levels, the newly acquired kittens were left unsterilized, resulting in unchecked breeding and an ever-growing population.
By last year, the neighbors were at their wits' end. The cacophony of over a hundred animals kept them up at night, and the stench of their excrement made it feel like they were sleeping next to a latrine.
Pushed to their limit, the neighbors confronted them, eventually involving the police. Upon entering the house, even the officers were taken aback. Every room was packed with dozens of animals, and the excrement covered the entire space.
In addition to the filthy environment, the pets have not been properly cared for. Many kittens are dehydrated, malnourished, and infected with parasites, faring no better than stray animals. Some cats and dogs have even died due to health issues, but their bodies have not been properly handled and are left in the house.
Timely neighbor complaints likely prevented further deaths of cats and dogs.
In the subsequent ruling, the judge found that they had not properly cared for the pets they had adopted. As a result, they were permanently banned from keeping pets and ordered to pay €150,000 in fees to various animal rights organizations, equivalent to over a million Chinese CNY. Originally sentenced to 18 months in prison, they were granted a one-year probation instead.
When asked why they kept the kittens at home even though they were unable to take proper care of them, the couple couldn't provide a specific reason. They could only describe how they would feel abandoned themselves if they were to abandon these animals.
In terms of psychiatric assessment and diagnosis, it appears that the root cause has been identified. The evaluators believe she suffers from "Noah Syndrome," also known as animal hoarding disorder.
This condition is fairly straightforward to grasp—it involves a psychological need to care for and save animals, leading individuals to accumulate a large number of pets in limited living spaces. However, this behavior exceeds their capacity to care for them properly, and what's more, the individuals often deny their inability to do so.
In other words, if you have the capability to take care of them, there's no harm in having more pets. However, if you're unable to properly care for them and refuse to acknowledge it while continuously increasing the number of pets, there's likely an issue at hand.
So, when you look at it this way, judges are not allowing them to keep pets, they are helping both the individuals and the animals. After all, animal hoarding is harmful to both people and animals.
One of the most common issues with hoarders, for example, is starving their pets. On the one hand, it may be due to a lack of money to buy food, and on the other hand, having too many pets to care for properly. In any case, pets are easily malnourished, and they may even starve to death. Additionally, when there are too many animals due to hoarding, and the food supply is limited, animals can become more aggressive, potentially attacking each other in competition for food.
Another common scenario is the harsh living environment.
Hoarders often confine a large number of pets within their homes, cramming small spaces with dozens or even hundreds of animals. The crowded conditions lead to deteriorating hygiene, severely affecting the physical health of both humans and these animals.
Moreover, hoarders frequently choose to disregard health issues intentionally, and may even refuse to take their pets to the veterinarian.
And what's outrageous is that hoarders accumulate a variety of pets.
For instance, just a few days ago in the United States, two hoarders were arrested for hoarding and mistreating nearly 200 animals, including dogs, guinea pigs, turtles, and various birds. Police initially stopped their vehicle and detected a strong odor of decay, leading to the discovery of numerous animal carcasses. Further investigation uncovered even more animals.
In January this year, an American guy took things to another level by hoarding over a hundred rare animals in his basement. Snakes, turtles, and even an ostrich were among the collection. The guy claimed he bought the ostrich while drunk.
In February this year, two individuals in Australia were convicted of animal hoarding, involving around 100 dogs, 11 kangaroos, over a dozen cats, and numerous birds. Two dogs had to be euthanized due to severe injuries, while many other animals required surgical intervention, including amputations.
Last year, a woman in the United States even hoarded enough to create a "poop house."
This hoarder from Florida had amassed 300 animals in her home, including over 160 chickens and ducks, with around 140 cats roaming about.
The poultry is kept in cages that haven't been cleaned for a long time, resulting in a thick layer of feces. There's a pile of chamber pots in the kitchen, all filled with feces. There are about a dozen trash cans in the house, all filled with feces as well, making the entire house smell strongly of feces.
In reality, animals aren't Pokémon. They eat, drink, and have bodily functions; they can't be confined in Poké Balls at will. Taking care of pets means being responsible for our little companions' well-being. Our "kindness" should never turn into torment.
(The images and information in the text are sourced from the internet.)
