Having a pet is often a very good thing for us as we age. This is especially true for those of us who live alone. The companionship is comforting and being responsible for an animal is a reason to get up in the morning. Unfortunately, there can be too much of a good thing. In the last two weeks there have been at least three separate hoarding events in the news that involved animals.
The most common types of animals involved in these cases are cats or dogs. They are easy to collect and if they are not spayed or neutered they will produce new litters regularly. Many towns and cities have ordinances that limit the number of pets someone can own. There is a very good reason for this. Both the animals and the people will soon find themselves in an unsanitary and unhealthy situation if there are more than the home and grounds can reasonably handle. Cats and dogs need room to move around, a suitable place for them to "do their business" and a clean place for food and water. Cramming large numbers of animals in a small space is not fair to the animals or the people involved.
If your family member is hoarding animals, give them the opportunity to find homes for the excess animals. If this is not going to happen without intervention, call the animal control office. They will come and remove the animals and provide you with information regarding the next steps to take.d
No comments:
Post a Comment