A description of 17 animal hoarding case files from animal control and a humane society

This study describes 17 publicly available cases of animal hoarding, a special manifestation of hoarding disorder. The cases, which included court documents, animal service documents, photographs, and newspaper clippings, were reviewed by Masters-level clinicians and a veterinarian in private practice. The veterinarian rated the animals in the case files for possible neglect. Over half of the homes had signs of object hoarding. The most commonly hoarded animals were cats, dogs, and rabbits. The majority of animals in the cases reviewed required veterinary care. Individuals with animal hoarding often lack insight about the condition of their animals and require community intervention.