When Love Becomes Delusional: Animal Hoarding

"While object hoarders often have limited insight into their situation, animal hoarders often display even less. They are disconnected from reality in this regard. The animals that they have gathered may be sick, dying, or dead, yet they sincerely believe they're providing excellent care. Some researchers have observed that 43 percent of people with high levels of pet attachment exhibit clinical levels of dissociation, a psychological state characterized by a sense of disconnection from immediate experience."

"While object hoarding creates fire hazards and mobility problems, animal hoarding poses unique biological threats. Urine and feces accumulate, creating dangerous ammonia levels. Disease spreads among overcrowded animals. The public health implications extend beyond the home; eventually, diseases of animal origin can affect neighbors and communities. Research comparing complaints to health departments found that animal hoarding resulted in significantly more unsanitary conditions than object hoarding and posed greater threats to human health."

Animal hoarding is characterized by markedly lower insight and frequent dissociation, with many hoarders believing they provide excellent care despite sick, dying, or dead animals. Approximately 43 percent of highly pet-attached individuals show clinical dissociation, which can explain the disconnection between perception and reality. Animal hoarding creates unique biological hazards: urine and feces accumulate, ammonia levels rise, and infectious diseases spread among overcrowded animals. These unsanitary conditions produce greater public-health threats than object hoarding and can extend risks to neighbors and communities. Complaints to health departments indicate animal hoarding results in significantly worse sanitary conditions and higher health risks than object hoarding.

Read at Psychology Today