Animal hoarding involves accumulating more animals than can be properly cared for, creating severe welfare crises that affect hundreds of thousands of animals annually.
Animals in hoarding situations suffer profoundly from overcrowding, inadequate nutrition, and absence of veterinary care. Respiratory disease from ammonia accumulation causes chronic distress. Social animals are often forced into unnatural groupings causing constant aggression and injury. Animals that survive hoarding situations frequently require extensive rehabilitation before adoption due to behavioral trauma. The cyclical nature of hoarding without mental health treatment means seized animals are often replaced by new ones within months.