# animal planet's "confessions, animal hoarding"



## jesicamyers (Dec 27, 2010)

Omg! This week's episode is HEARTBREAKING. Anyone else watching?


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## gypsyeye805 (Sep 26, 2009)

Im watching the the episode with the guy and the chickens and the cat lady right now. 
The chihuahua episode comes on next.


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## leiahrandy (Jan 18, 2011)

oooo, i didnt know there was an "animal hoarding confessions" on animal planet??
ive got to check it out.


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## LadyJ (Aug 20, 2010)

Uh, let's remember that this is TV! Yes, the stories are heartbreaking, but they are supposed to be, and I'm sure the producers don't minimize anything. Sometimes they wind up just walking away and not doing anything about the hoarding. I'm all for "doing the right thing," but I think if it were my loved one and they were harming themselves, I'd just remove them and clean it all up. You don't let a child run loose and hurt himself and I wouldn't allow an adult to do it either. I'd only go so far with the talking and then I'd DO something. Getting them to let the animals go isn't going to happen most of the time. I would be afraid of a fire or something like that, a disease among the animals that would kill all of them. Then the hoarder would lose all of them very tragically and to me, it would be better to do it kindly and keep the hoarder and the animals safe. It's very sad!!

Jeanette


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## leiahrandy (Jan 18, 2011)

LadyJ said:


> Uh, let's remember that this is TV! Yes, the stories are heartbreaking, but they are supposed to be, and I'm sure the producers don't minimize anything. Sometimes they wind up just walking away and not doing anything about the hoarding. I'm all for "doing the right thing," but I think if it were my loved one and they were harming themselves, I'd just remove them and clean it all up. You don't let a child run loose and hurt himself and I wouldn't allow an adult to do it either. I'd only go so far with the talking and then I'd DO something. Getting them to let the animals go isn't going to happen most of the time. I would be afraid of a fire or something like that, a disease among the animals that would kill all of them. Then the hoarder would lose all of them very tragically and to me, it would be better to do it kindly and keep the hoarder and the animals safe. It's very sad!!
> 
> Jeanette






awww  that is crazy! i cant believe how some ppl try to keep and get everything they can. sometimes they just have to let go.  and yes if there is a family member that knows then they should do something about it in the long run!


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## LadyJ (Aug 20, 2010)

Go check out some of the things that happen to people after being on TV, like the Extreme Home Makeover show with Ty Pennington. It looks really great, but some of the people can't afford to live in the nice, big homes after they get them. Some go into foreclosure and some get abandoned, families get into big fights about them, etc. Like I said, remember it's TV!

Jeanette


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## leiahrandy (Jan 18, 2011)

LadyJ said:


> Go check out some of the things that happen to people after being on TV, like the Extreme Home Makeover show with Ty Pennington. It looks really great, but some of the people can't afford to live in the nice, big homes after they get them. Some go into foreclosure and some get abandoned, families get into big fights about them, etc. Like I said, remember it's TV!
> 
> Jeanette



omg really! they go into foreclosure! thats really sad! my grandma likes that show.


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## LadyJ (Aug 20, 2010)

*sad*



leiah&randy(: said:


> omg really! they go into foreclosure! thats really sad! my grandma likes that show.


Yes, it's sad if you go on-line and follow up on the shows. One family of kids said the people who took them in apparently did it just to get on the TV show and treated them so badly they forced them out of the house after the show. The kids were young adults and were suing the two people who "took them in." 

Just look at the huge houses they build with huge rooms and very high ceilings. Ordinary people couldn't afford the heating and air conditioning, much less people who are "down and out" like those on the show. All the extras they put in the houses are expensive to keep up, elevators, exercise/therapy equipment, new appliances, huge computer screens and in-house TV systems. I love the idea of the show and like it, but it isn't quite what it appears on the surface. 

Jeanette


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## leiahrandy (Jan 18, 2011)

LadyJ said:


> Yes, it's sad if you go on-line and follow up on the shows. One family of kids said the people who took them in apparently did it just to get on the TV show and treated them so badly they forced them out of the house after the show. The kids were young adults and were suing the two people who "took them in."
> 
> Just look at the huge houses they build with huge rooms and very high ceilings. Ordinary people couldn't afford the heating and air conditioning, much less people who are "down and out" like those on the show. All the extras they put in the houses are expensive to keep up, elevators, exercise/therapy equipment, new appliances, huge computer screens and in-house TV systems. I love the idea of the show and like it, but it isn't quite what it appears on the surface.
> 
> Jeanette



oh that is just terrible to take kids in my age probably just for tv!!!! that really grinds my gears!!!

and yes all of the fancy stuff is nice, but all just to charge. grrr! terrible!


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## Zippy (Dec 31, 2010)

I haven't seen this program as we don't get the "Animal Planet" channel but there was a terrible Chihuahua hoarding case in Philadelphia last summer.

(link not recommended for the weak of heart )
Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Hoarding nearly 90 animals, two found dead - Philadelphia, PA (US)

I've lost track of some of the links but we found out about the case when we were looking to adopt last autumn (and got Zippy who was not related to this case). Philadelphia is somewhat local to us so many of the dogs ended up at nearby shelters and foster homes throughout Eastern PA and New Jersey and have apparently have found new, much happier homes.


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## leiahrandy (Jan 18, 2011)

Zippy said:


> I haven't seen this program as we don't get the "Animal Planet" channel but there was a terrible Chihuahua hoarding case in Philadelphia last summer.
> 
> (link not recommended for the weak of heart )
> Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Hoarding nearly 90 animals, two found dead - Philadelphia, PA (US)
> ...



i saw the link, that is just terrible, heart breaking and im ver speechless. that woman is crazy, and god bless all of those dogs and cats out that home. what a shame. :foxes15:


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## Eclipsica (Nov 23, 2010)

I've noticed they give plenty of advice on what other people should do about a hoarder. Not so much what to do if you are the hoarder yourself. 
I wonder what resources there are for a hoarder to go and get help themselves if they were so inclined?. I think some of them do understand that they have a problem. 

Trying to imagine what it's like to be a hoarder. 
It's going to be embarrassing to ask for help for cleaning or they may lack to funds to hire people for cleaning. Have you ever had a messy house and been ashamed when other people come over?. Just imagine what that would be like if you were a hoarder.
Especially when most people might say "How can you live like this? or something far worse. 

When they even attempt to put animals up for adoption, most people will not want to adopt unsocial and possibly sick companion animals. 
There is going to be fear of people investigating them for cruelty charges. Which could happen more readily if they have people coming over to adopt animals or they have animals taken to a shelter or rescue group.

It would be frightening that other people will come over and take all their animals away when they have almost nothing else. 
All this when the hoarder may have serious mental issues going on and health issues from the unhealthy living conditions.


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## leiahrandy (Jan 18, 2011)

Eclipsica said:


> I've noticed they give plenty of advice on what other people should do about a hoarder. Not so much what to do if you are the hoarder yourself.
> I wonder what resources there are for a hoarder to go and get help themselves if they were so inclined?. I think some of them do understand that they have a problem.
> 
> Trying to imagine what it's like to be a hoarder.
> ...



yes i feel really bad for the hoarders too, its a sick obsession and they probably dont know where to start.

as for the dirty house thing, i dont think hoarders really invite ppl over, maybe they just meet up somewhere???


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## gypsyeye805 (Sep 26, 2009)

The human psyche is about the most complicated thing on earth to try an understand, we are complexed creatures for sure. I'm a medical social worker who jobs takes her into the homes of clients on a daily basis and things I see sometime would absolutely floor most people. I have lots of clients who are hoarders or all sorts of things....including animals and generally by time the situation i brought to light it's already reached a point of critical; major health concerns, legal ramifications, etc. My education and background is not not medical, it's actually in psychology (Bio and behavioral psychology), and working with my clients who are hoarders tests and challenge every theory known to man. It makes me crazy when my co workers try to make people fit into these neat little boxes to prove or disprove something they learned in school 50 years ago.....people are not theories. In my experience 99% of the people who are hoarders have legitimate cause to be. I'm in no means condoning the behavior, but I am saying there are legitimate incidents that have occurred in theses people's lives that have not only driven them to this behavior, but has reinforced it over the years. When a person lacks basic coping skills or has been taught to cope with stressful situations in destructive ways, the outcomes are almost always something disturbing...hoarding is just one. 

I agree with those of you who said "It's Television", and on some level it's pretty inhumane to take someone's tragedy and turn it into entertainment, but I have to say I'm guilty of watching some of them. The TV shows address the visual; what the person's home looks and smells like, never do they talk about the events that precipitated the behavior, but rather leave it open to interpretation and have the viewer to think that this person is "just crazy". For ratings they come in to do a quick "fix for TV" then leave the person swinging in the breeze after the show is over....no follow up, no aftercare, no anything in place to help the person continue to succeed on their own, it's really sad and on some level just plain MEAN.


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## intuition (Jan 19, 2011)

I volunteer for a foster style rescue up here in alaska for mostly small breed dogs, she gets in a few larger ones, but its mostly chi's/shi tzuhs, things like that. My issue with this show is that everyones an expert now on hoarding. The person who runs this place is a bit too good at her job at placing foster pups with foster family's and she's lacking now in fosters. so she has the dogs with her. All the dogs are healthy, fed, nurtured, her house clean,and get adopted at great rates while finding great homes. She even has a cam on for 15 some odd hours a day into the house so you can watch and see the dogs. she hides nothing. but she gets backlash everytime this show is on. Most of us in the community know the truth, and blow it off, but its still silly. 

Also people start putting odd limits on what is hoarding. A friend has ten chi's ( well 9 chi's and a pommy) All healthy, well trained, in a clean house. is that hoarding? the animals aren't in danger. another friend has 9 pugs ( did have ten, one passed sadly over christmas) again all healthy well adjusted dogs. I've been to both their houses and nothing made me thing its a bad thing or a bad place. but if i just mentioned them to someone watching these shows thats EXACTLY where they are gonna go. Like other people before me posted i wish they worked more with these people. to show what is appropriate, and what isn't. to figure out financially and physically what is appropriate. There are people that can have large ( as in amount) dog households and do it right. These shows tend to show people that you can have 2 dogs adn thats it. 

I dunno maybe it doesn't make much sense, its sorta a rant LOL but ehhhh. But not going to lie, i watch them too. -_-


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## leiahrandy (Jan 18, 2011)

intuition said:


> I volunteer for a foster style rescue up here in alaska for mostly small breed dogs, she gets in a few larger ones, but its mostly chi's/shi tzuhs, things like that. My issue with this show is that everyones an expert now on hoarding. The person who runs this place is a bit too good at her job at placing foster pups with foster family's and she's lacking now in fosters. so she has the dogs with her. All the dogs are healthy, fed, nurtured, her house clean,and get adopted at great rates while finding great homes. She even has a cam on for 15 some odd hours a day into the house so you can watch and see the dogs. she hides nothing. but she gets backlash everytime this show is on. Most of us in the community know the truth, and blow it off, but its still silly.
> 
> Also people start putting odd limits on what is hoarding. A friend has ten chi's ( well 9 chi's and a pommy) All healthy, well trained, in a clean house. is that hoarding? the animals aren't in danger. another friend has 9 pugs ( did have ten, one passed sadly over christmas) again all healthy well adjusted dogs. I've been to both their houses and nothing made me thing its a bad thing or a bad place. but if i just mentioned them to someone watching these shows thats EXACTLY where they are gonna go. Like other people before me posted i wish they worked more with these people. to show what is appropriate, and what isn't. to figure out financially and physically what is appropriate. There are people that can have large ( as in amount) dog households and do it right. These shows tend to show people that you can have 2 dogs adn thats it.
> 
> I dunno maybe it doesn't make much sense, its sorta a rant LOL but ehhhh. But not going to lie, i watch them too. -_-



no your friend isnt a hoarder. thats completely different. as long as people know shes taking care of her dogs then thats perfectly fine. i dont think she had to put cameras up just to prove a point. (mean ppl probably pushed her into doing so). but no i didnt say you can only have 2 dogs. anyone can have as many dogs as they want as long as they are being cared for properly. thats all


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## intuition (Jan 19, 2011)

leiah&randy(: said:


> no your friend isnt a hoarder. thats completely different. as long as people know shes taking care of her dogs then thats perfectly fine. i dont think she had to put cameras up just to prove a point. (mean ppl probably pushed her into doing so). but no i didnt say you can only have 2 dogs. anyone can have as many dogs as they want as long as they are being cared for properly. thats all



no no, i wasn't accusing anyone here of this stuff. just saying in general that it seems to make everyone an expert lol. just kinda replaying my experience last season with the show. I didn't mean to sound like i was refering to anything lol


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## LadyJ (Aug 20, 2010)

*hoarding*



gypsyeye805 said:


> The human psyche is about the most complicated thing on earth to try an understand, we are complexed creatures for sure. I'm a medical social worker who jobs takes her into the homes of clients on a daily basis and things I see sometime would absolutely floor most people. I have lots of clients who are hoarders or all sorts of things....including animals and generally by time the situation i brought to light it's already reached a point of critical; major health concerns, legal ramifications, etc. My education and background is not not medical, it's actually in psychology (Bio and behavioral psychology), and working with my clients who are hoarders tests and challenge every theory known to man. It makes me crazy when my co workers try to make people fit into these neat little boxes to prove or disprove something they learned in school 50 years ago.....people are not theories. In my experience 99% of the people who are hoarders have legitimate cause to be. I'm in no means condoning the behavior, but I am saying there are legitimate incidents that have occurred in theses people's lives that have not only driven them to this behavior, but has reinforced it over the years. When a person lacks basic coping skills or has been taught to cope with stressful situations in destructive ways, the outcomes are almost always something disturbing...hoarding is just one.
> 
> I agree with those of you who said "It's Television", and on some level it's pretty inhumane to take someone's tragedy and turn it into entertainment, but I have to say I'm guilty of watching some of them. The TV shows address the visual; what the person's home looks and smells like, never do they talk about the events that precipitated the behavior, but rather leave it open to interpretation and have the viewer to think that this person is "just crazy". For ratings they come in to do a quick "fix for TV" then leave the person swinging in the breeze after the show is over....no follow up, no aftercare, no anything in place to help the person continue to succeed on their own, it's really sad and on some level just plain MEAN.


All good thoughts. I'm sure these people are much more complicated than they appear to be and it certainly isn't a simple matter of removing the animals and cleaning up the home. They need help to address whatever made them hoard in the first place. It would be good if some family members saw the problem in the beginning and didn't let it progress to hoarding. When my younger son told me he was getting a divorce a few years ago, the first thing I did was go out and adopt a puppy mill dog. It was a direct response to the distress of his divorce. I already had two dogs and certainly didn't need another one, but a puppy mill dog required a lot of attention, caring, figuring out, things to keep me very busy and engaged. Sadly, the little dog had a genetic problem and had to be put to sleep when she was only two years old. I loved her very much and gave her the best life possible. So I know how hoarding can start. I love dogs and it would be very easy to start taking them in. I don't do it, but I can understand it.

Jeanette


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## Martha (Sep 21, 2010)

*How do you know*

about this. Where do you go to follow up on these situations?


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## Martha (Sep 21, 2010)

I love your dog. Is it a long haired chi? I want one.


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## LadyJ (Aug 20, 2010)

*confessions*



Martha said:


> about this. Where do you go to follow up on these situations?


You can Google (I use Bing) Extreme Home Makeover or Confessions or whatever and you will find a lot of additional information. While I don't believe everything I see on the internet, some of it is true, of course.

Jeanette


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## LadyJ (Aug 20, 2010)

*confessions*



Martha said:


> I love your dog. Is it a long haired chi? I want one.


If you're talking about Lavender, yes, she's a long-haired Chi. I think she's the prettiest little thing I've ever seen! She was born in California and came to Tennessee where she wound up in rescue. She weighs 5.5 lb and is so tiny and girly and dainty. She has a very big personality though and is very sweet and loving. She's a lot of fun and she's my little ray of sunshine.


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## Dragonfly (Jun 6, 2010)

LadyJ said:


> If you're talking about Lavender, yes, she's a long-haired Chi. I think she's the prettiest little thing I've ever seen! She was born in California and came to Tennessee where she wound up in rescue. She weighs 5.5 lb and is so tiny and girly and dainty. She has a very big personality though and is very sweet and loving. She's a lot of fun and she's my little ray of sunshine.


Your girl is beautiful! Every time I see your siggy I scroll back up and "aw" lol She is very "girly" and "dainty" looking. She's just gorgeous to me!


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## LadyJ (Aug 20, 2010)

*confessions*



intuition said:


> I volunteer for a foster style rescue up here in alaska for mostly small breed dogs, she gets in a few larger ones, but its mostly chi's/shi tzuhs, things like that. My issue with this show is that everyones an expert now on hoarding. The person who runs this place is a bit too good at her job at placing foster pups with foster family's and she's lacking now in fosters. so she has the dogs with her. All the dogs are healthy, fed, nurtured, her house clean,and get adopted at great rates while finding great homes. She even has a cam on for 15 some odd hours a day into the house so you can watch and see the dogs. she hides nothing. but she gets backlash everytime this show is on. Most of us in the community know the truth, and blow it off, but its still silly.
> 
> Also people start putting odd limits on what is hoarding. A friend has ten chi's ( well 9 chi's and a pommy) All healthy, well trained, in a clean house. is that hoarding? the animals aren't in danger. another friend has 9 pugs ( did have ten, one passed sadly over christmas) again all healthy well adjusted dogs. I've been to both their houses and nothing made me thing its a bad thing or a bad place. but if i just mentioned them to someone watching these shows thats EXACTLY where they are gonna go. Like other people before me posted i wish they worked more with these people. to show what is appropriate, and what isn't. to figure out financially and physically what is appropriate. There are people that can have large ( as in amount) dog households and do it right. These shows tend to show people that you can have 2 dogs adn thats it.
> 
> I dunno maybe it doesn't make much sense, its sorta a rant LOL but ehhhh. But not going to lie, i watch them too. -_-



There are so many different things on TV. It's easy to get caught up in it and feel it and believe it. Sometimes that's very good, when it causes us to rise up and support a good cause and help someone. Sometimes it's very bad when a good person gets put in a bad light and makes us turn against them. Unless you can magically tell fact from fiction, it's best not to put too much stock in what you see on TV. Consider where the facts came from. Is it someone's opinion or fact? Who said it and what were their motives? Many times there are a lot of things going on behind the scenes. I'm just like everyone else. I want to go to Haiti and get all those kids who need parents. I want to smack the politicians, this one this week and another one next week, depending on what's getting published about them. Who knows what to believe? I want to take in and save every dog/animal in need, but I don't go look at the sites about dogs/animals in need. I can't help them all and it hurts too much. I take the best care I possibly can of my two and help the local rescue organizations when I can. Making my heart ache doesn't do anyone any good. I remember all of them in my prayers every day.


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## LadyJ (Aug 20, 2010)

*confessions*



Dragonfly said:


> Your girl is beautiful! Every time I see your siggy I scroll back up and "aw" lol She is very "girly" and "dainty" looking. She's just gorgeous to me!


Thanks. Lavender is very special because she has helped me and my Bichon boy, Cosmo, heal after the loss of our Bichon girl, Lacy. You can see more pictures of Lavender on her web page. There's a link in my siggy.


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## ~*Jessie*~ (Aug 8, 2007)

Dragonfly said:


> Your girl is beautiful! Every time I see your siggy I scroll back up and "aw" lol She is very "girly" and "dainty" looking. She's just gorgeous to me!


I just wanted to agree with this, too! I do the same thing when I see the picture of Lavender


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## LadyJ (Aug 20, 2010)

*confessions*



~*Jessie*~ said:


> I just wanted to agree with this, too! I do the same thing when I see the picture of Lavender


Many thanks. I can't imagine how hard it was for her owners to turn her over to rescue. Her owners got into financial difficulties, husband lost his job and the wife is in a wheelchair. Lavender and her brother went into rescue and both found great homes. Wish I could tell her owners how much we love her and that she's doing wonderful and will always be cherished and cared for. It's easy to tell Lavender was always well loved. She's so sweet and affectionate, has good manners and is full of fun. She's a very special little girl and has blessed my home and heart.

Jeanette


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