Over 100 Dogs Rescued From Hoarding Situation Up for Adoption in California
Over 100 small dogs were rescued from an animal hoarding situation in Riverside, California and they may not have been discovered had a fire not broken out where the animals were kept.
Where these animals were being kept is a pretty alarming circumstance, because they were in a two bedroom town home. I can event imagine over 100 dogs being kept in a house that size.
All dogs were removed from the home and impounded at an animal shelter. A video of the rescue showed several dogs available for adoption including Fergus, Batman, Schmango, Dupree, Farley, Figgy Pudding and Schmoo. They are all just precious.
There's a sweet video of these precious adoptable dogs that were rescued that you can view here.
The video explains, on Thursday, Mission Viejo Animal Services was contacted by the Riverside Animal Shelter Rescue Department pleading for assistance after impounding 113 small dogs from a hoarder. The dogs lived in a two-bedroom townhome and were discovered after a fire started in the home.
Related: 30 Golden Retrievers Saved From Horrific Backyard Breeding Operation
In the United States, there are approximately 200,000 animal hoarding cases that are reported each year, with many cases that are never discovered or reported. Spaulding reports that the bad news is hoarding cases are on the rise.
Why Do People Hoard Animals?
The National Library of Medicine defines an animal hoarder as someone who has accumulated a large number of animals and who: 1) fails to provide minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, and veterinary care; 2) fails to act on the deteriorating condition of the animals (including disease, starvation or death) and the environment (severe overcrowding, extremely unsanitary conditions); and often, 3) is unaware of the negative effects of the collection on their own health and well-being and on that of other family members.
There are many complex reasons someone may choose to obtain more animals than they can logically care for, and these can range from loneliness and feelings of isolation, to feeling like they are helping the animals by bringing them in, to various mental illnesses.
According to the Animal Humane Society, up to a quarter million animals — 250,000 per year — are victims of hoarding.
The AHS also states that "Remember that hoarding is almost always linked to mental illness, not intentional cruelty. Approach potential hoarders with empathy and compassion, rather than judgment. The most effective interventions require strong support from family, friends, and the community.
Owning multiple animals doesn't mean that someone is a hoarder of animals, but if you suspect animal hoarding, contact your local police department or animal control department.
If you'd like more information about these dogs, to make a donation or to fill out an adoption application, you can visit the website for The City of Mission Viejo animal services website here.
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