Development of an Operational Protocol for Animal Hoarding: A Conceptual Proposal Based on Multidisciplinary Field...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Public Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Animal hoarding presents significant risks to animal welfare, public health, and environmental stability.
• Existing interventions for animal hoarding are often fragmented, lacking integration across medical, psychological, and social disciplines.
• There is a need for structured approaches to manage complex animal hoarding situations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a structured operational protocol for multidisciplinary teams to assess and manage animal hoarding cases.
• To integrate existing tools and field experience into a cohesive management framework.
• To promote a One Welfare approach by addressing the interconnectedness of animal, human, and environmental health.

Main Methods:

• A critical review of existing assessment tools and field experience in the Italian context.
• Development of a modular and replicable protocol integrating three key components: an observational form, a clinical-relational interview, and a veterinary health form.
• Focus on creating a framework for multidisciplinary team collaboration.

Main Results:

• The proposed protocol offers a structured operational basis for managing animal hoarding.
• It facilitates consistent data collection for research and public health initiatives.
• The protocol is designed to be shareable among professionals from diverse backgrounds.

Conclusions:

• The developed protocol provides a concrete operational model for structured interventions in animal hoarding cases.
• It supports a One Welfare perspective, acknowledging the links between animal suffering, human distress, and environmental issues.
• Further experimental validation is recommended to confirm the protocol's efficacy.