Animal Hoarding:
Companions to prisoners in their own home

July 19, 2019 by David Scott  

 

Companions to Prisoners: Animal Hoarding

 

Most people grow up understanding the significance of having a furry, loving companion to play with when you and your siblings weren’t getting along. Your childhood pet probably provided recollections that can’t be replaced. These fond memories often pour into adult lives as we choose new pets to replace the ones we’ve lost. You may find yourself making a home for numerous animals so that each person in your home can have their very own pet. If this doesn’t describe you, you can probably imagine a friend’s home you visit where you are met with three excited dogs while a couple cats sit on the back of the couch. 

 

While some people have more pets than others would prefer, this is not completely abnormal. However, this can become an issue for the owner, as well as the pets, when there are more animals than the owner can properly care for.  Animal hoarding is a real, and all too common, problem that may occur gradually. It may begin with the saving of a few strays.  The next thing you know there are 10-15 dogs ruining a home with destruction, feces, urine, and the owner finds themselves unable to physically or financially care for them.

 

How to Tell is Someone is a Hoarder?

 

People who hoard animals clearly believe they are helping these animals by saving them from a bad situation where they were unloved. They typically take in strays, though sometimes purchase the animals, adopted them or even steal them from other people’s yards. Animals collected may range in species from cats and dogs to reptiles, rodents, birds and even farm animals.

 

These individuals often give all of their affection to their animals. In doing so, they are shutting out the humans in their lives. This leads to their social isolation, followed by the need to acquire more animals, and the endless downward spiral is formed.  Characteristics of a person who is hoarding animals may include:

 

·        Having numerous animals and may not know the total number of animals in their care.

 

·        Often blind to the fact that their animals are suffering

 

·        Deny their inability to care for the animals

 

·        Isolates themselves from the community and appears to neglect their own health

 

Even though an animal hoarder may appear to love their “pets”, once the situation gets out of control, the home dwelling becomes a bio-hazard. Lack of sanitation endangers the health of the animals and their caretakers. Some physical signs of animal hoarding may include the following situations:

 

·        Pets become injured, diseased, malnourished and un-socialized, which leads to fights with each other and their owners

 

·        Their home is deteriorated (dirty windows, broken furniture, holes in wall and floor, extreme clutter and filth)

 

·        There is a strong smell of ammonia, and floors may be covered with dried feces, urine and vomit

 

·        Animals are scrawny, sluggish and not well socialized

 

·        Fleas and vermin are present

 

Each year, over 250,000 animals are victims of hoarders. Animal hoarders range in age, and can be men or women of any race or ethnic group. They often have an unusually high tolerance for poor hygiene and a mistaken sense of their caretaking abilities. Elderly people may be more at risk, due to their own deteriorating health and isolation from the community.

 

What Causes Animal Hoarding?

 

While animal hoarding is usually a sign of an untreated mental health disorder a specific root cause remains a mystery. Experts suggest that experiences during a person’s childhood could be a main cause. Perhaps there was an absent, abusive or inconsistent relationship with the primary caregiver. This can lead to a difficulty in forming connections with other people. Animals, in turn, wind up becoming a substitute for human companionship.

 

When someone hoards inanimate objects, mental health professionals tell us that this is a type of Obsessive-Compulsive disorder. The person may obsess over the thought of something terrible happening as soon as they get rid of a certain object. They will preserve the object to reduce that stress and the obsessive thoughts may fade away. But the motivation to hoard animals may arise for different reasons.

 

These reasons often include an uncontrollable urge to “rescue” animals or caring for animals that no one else wants. This may stem from childhood neglect. The person usually starts out as a typical pet owner. As they care for their pets, and receive unconditional love from these animals they begin taking in a few more animals at a time.  Before they know it, the home is filled with 30 or 40 animals. These people often have good intentions, but it eventually gets out of hand.

 

Some research suggests that collecting animals points toward attachment disorders and depression or other mental illnesses. Some animal hoarders began collecting after a traumatic event or loss. Other research suggests that animal hoarding can be related to addictive behavior.

 

What Kind of Help Is Available?

 

Animal hoarding has consequences for the person who is hoarding, their family, their neighborhood, and the welfare of the animals as well. The hoarder will argue strongly about how much they love the animals, but in most cases the animals are actually suffering.

 

Because of the mental disconnect these individuals may have from reality, it is important for friends and family to approach the situation delicately. Try to express your genuine concern for the person’s health and safety. As draining as the situation may be, try not to yell at the person who is hoarding. Your anger will only cause them to become more stubborn in their position. Remember, the person is blind to the real condition of their animals. Sometimes it can help to take photos and show them to the owner after you get them to a different location from their home. This may allow them to see the reality of the situation.

 

Hoarded animals are usually injured, diseased, malnourished and un-socialized. You can contact your local animal control department if you suspect an animal hoarder in your community but also reach out to social service groups like a department of aging, a health department or a mental health agency.

 

The Hoarding Cleanup

 

Cleaning out an animal hoarder’s home is overwhelming and even dangerous. It’s best to hire professional help for a hoarding cleanup. Bio-One is a team of trusted Tucson hoarding cleanup specialists. Our compassionate, professional team has helped many people reclaim their homes from this condition.

 

Rather than showing up with shovels to empty out the home, we work closely with the homeowner and the family from start to finish. The Bio-One team is committed to making our clients feel safe and comfortable throughout the process.

 

You trust your loved one’s treatment to the mental professionals, so trust the hoarding cleanup to the experienced professionals as well.

 

Contact Bio-One today at 520-771-5960 or www.BioOneTucson.com for more information about our comprehensive cleanup services and to schedule a no-obligation consultation and accurate cost estimate.

 

 

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Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.

 

 

 

 

For firefighters and police officers, a regular day at work can involve daily close encounters with danger, chaos and tragedy.  These courageous men and women understand their job includes saving the lives of others, and at times that life may be too far gone to save. They understand a normal traffic stop may turn into the end of their watch forever. They understand that when they leave their family to begin their shift, they risk never coming home.  Regardless, they bravely gear up and take on every call, prepared to give their citizens what they need rather it be to save, arrest, counsel, or protect.  Nevertheless; they are always prepared for the worse.

 

Why is PTSD so Common Among First Responders?

 

First responders are the ones familiar with situations such as:

 

·        the deceased infant whose mother simply got sick of hearing her cry

 

·        the guy hyped up on PCP who kicks out the back window of the squad car

 

·        the active shooter in the Target parking lot

 

·        the fatal accident leaving one child alive with no parents

 

Over time, exposure to such stress can take a toll on the mental health of these first responders. The memories often creep back up into their thoughts, even when everything seems fine on the outside. Talking about their day to loved ones isn’t usually on their top list of things to do. If you have a loved one who is a first responder, they might tell you about a bad call they had.  Though, they probably will not include the detail of terror that was involved and what it is doing to them.

 

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may result from some of these situation, with symptoms including:

 

·        Flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive memories

 

·        Emotional numbness

 

·        Extreme worry, guilt, anger or hopelessness

 

·        Avoidance of people, places or things that are reminders of the trauma

 

·        A loss of interest in things that once gave pleasure

 

·        Feeling anxious, on edge or jumpy, and easily angered

 

·        Sleep issues

 

·        Problems with alcohol or drugs

 

·        Suicidal thoughts

 

When a first responder experiences a traumatic event beyond the range of a typical human experience, they may feel threatened or have feelings of helplessness, fear, or loathing.  Although it can feel overwhelming, PTSD is treatable.

 

Healing from PTSD: The Necessary Process

 

It isn’t easy for a person who is supposed to be the hero to just let their guard down and open up about feelings. These individuals understand that trauma is part of their job and they don’t want to admit to others (or themselves) that they are having difficulty with the feelings that arise from doing their job. It may not be an easy process, but it is a necessary one.

 

According to a University of Phoenix survey from 2017, 85% of first responders have experienced symptoms related to mental health issues. Of those surveyed, 10% were diagnosed with PTSD.  Though, the problem goes beyond PTSD, especially when no treatment is sought. Approximately 1 in 4 police officers reported having thought about committing suicide at some point in their life. In 2017, an estimated 103 firefighters and 140 police officers took their own lives.

 

Certain factors have been found to aid the recovery of PTSD. These actions reinforce feelings of support, hope and sense of control.  Some of these include:

 

·        Peer and community support: Strong emotional connections in the community and a feeling of belonging can help prevent PTSD. Group discussions among peers who have experienced the same symptoms can help build a support group within the department.

 

·        Stress management and therapy: Positive coping strategies learned through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help first responders gain resilience against traumatic experiences and treat symptoms of trauma.

 

Some departments may be equipped with an onsite psychologist. If this is not the case, there are many treatment facilities around the country who have PTSD specialists.

 

Staying Strong After Healing: The Dreaded Question

 

First responders choose their profession for the same reason everyone else does. It is a career that makes them feel like they are making a difference or it simply makes them happy to do something they love! Though it is rare for a Real Estate Agent be asked about the details of their job at a dinner party. But for first responders, it never fails. It starts with “This is my friend, he’s a firefighter”.  It seems like an innocent introduction and the friend means no harm, of course. Though that introduction is always followed with the question; “What’s the worst call you’ve ever been on?” or “What’s the worst thing you’ve seen on the job?”

 

Rather you are the person asking or the first responder on the other end of the inquiry, these types of questions can cause damage to the hard mental work someone has done to heal from this event. “Worst days” will be more than the copier eating an original legal document or your co-workers leaving a disgusting mess in the breakroom. First responders are exposed to disturbing or traumatic events nearly every day during the course of their jobs. As a result, mental health issues are more common among first responders than individuals in most other professions.

 

It is a better tactic to ask a first responder about the funniest call they’ve been on, rather than the most traumatic one. That usually provides you with the better story anyway. If you are the firefighter or police officer, the next time someone asks you about your worst day on the job, don’t feel bad about telling them that you’ve seen a lot of worst days and you’d rather not talk about them.

 

Always Remember

 

While it’s both cliché and truth to say that police officers and firefighters loathe admitting weakness.  They’re used to being the ones that solve problems rather than admit that they have them. But accepting help or attending therapy should not be considered a weakness in this situation. It should be seen as high-level training!

 

Do emergency personnel not maintain their vehicles, equipment and weapons? Of course! While it is part of their job, they even maintain their firearms training, hand to hand combat skills, medical certifications and more. Yet fire and police stations leave the most important tool unattended: their mental health. Maintaining positive mental health is essential to the performance of these jobs.  Attending therapy or treatment shouldn’t be viewed as a flaw. It may save lives.

 

 

Bio-One is here to Help First, Business Second

 

 

When you request a service, our team focuses on accomplishing one goal: helping you. That’s why our professional technicians are on standby 24/7, every day of the year. We have the experience, training and licensing to get the job done efficiently, and can generally reach the scene within an hour. After we’ve made sure that you’re safe and the site does not pose a hazard to others, we’ll talk business. Because at Bio-One, we understand that compassion and expediency are requisites for helping you overcome a challenging situation. Our motto, “Help First, Business Second,” is a promise to you and an obligation for us. It’s indispensable to our aim of providing you with the best service the industry has to offer.

 

 

 

Organization Press Release

 

Email: info@BioOneTucson.com

Tel: 520-771-5960

Website:  www.BioOneTucson.com

 

For immediate release

July 1, 2019

 

 

Bio-One

 

David and Caroline Scott

 

(520) 771-5960

 

Info@BioOneTucson.com

 

www.BioOneTucson.com

 

 

 

Bio-One Inc.

 

Jason OBrien CEO

 

720-463-3004

 

Jason@BioOneInc.com

 

www.BioOneInc.com