Animal hoarding causes severe welfare suffering to large numbers of animals and reflects complex mental health issues requiring integrated intervention.
Animals in hoarding situations suffer some of the most severe welfare conditions encountered in companion animal work. Overcrowding, inadequate food and water, untreated disease, and accumulation of waste cause profound suffering. Many animals cannot be rehabilitated due to the severity of their deprivation. Intervention requires coordinated response from animal welfare agencies, mental health services, and social care, recognizing that punitive approaches without mental health support have minimal effect on recidivism.