Brief Note on Animal Hoarding?
Hoarding refers to the accumulation of animals in excess where their basic needs are not satisfied. This leads to several psychological and behavioural damage in a hazardous manner. Hoarding of dogs is mostly seen in homes or other places like barns, old buses, etc. There they are usually kept in coops and are enclosed for ages. The habitat in which these dogs live are disease-ridden, as the excreted faeces and urine are not cleaned customarily.
Therefore, leads to the emission of Ammonia gas that harms the dog’s eyes, nasal cavities, and even lungs. Some of the dogs who get adopted are lucky, while some manage to escape from the unforsaken place. However, some dogs live and die in unsanitary habitats all their lives and die due to various diseases caused.
Damages Caused
Physical damages such as eye and ear infection, mild to severe dental disease, skin disorders, hair coat, and malnutrition is trivial to hoarded dogs.
- Psychological Damages
Fear towards strangers, unfamiliar faces, dogs, other animals, surrounding environment, and noise. Not wanting to be touched or held by someone, attention seeking, compulsive and repetitive behaviours are all traits of such unfortunate dogs. The best thing you can do is offer them their own space in the best dog mattress so they can feel calm and relaxed.
- Behavioural Damages
Weakened aggression towards other animals and unfamiliar faces. Decreased trainability and excitability and persistent barking are behavioural deterioration.
Treatment
Most effective methods:
When rescued hoarded dogs are rehabilitated, the biggest question is, “Which is the best way to treat a hoarded dog?”
Studies show that the best the adopter can give is time and love.
Letting the dog choose his level of comfortability with its adopter is the first and the most important step. Another noteworthy point for the adopters is that they should have a lot of patience with their dogs and give them their own space. Adopting another healthy dog provides a better environment, as the dog does not feel that he is the only one of its own species in the new habitat
Hiring a training behaviourist is another method that boosts the nursing of the dog. Usually, the sessions cover a variety of aspects of dog nursing. Some of these are the basic ability of the adopter to ignore and predict the dog’s behaviour. Agility lessons, obedience training and exposure to similar unfortunate dogs and adopters help them to socialize more, become more confident and overcome separation anxiety.
A proper, consistent routine is vital in reshaping the psychological aspect.
Least Effective Methods
In recent studies and surveys conducted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and The Atlantic Veterinary College, the socialization of rescued hoarded dogs too early often leads to negative results. Training being too harsh or too early and raised voices also negatively affect the dog.
Final Outcome
Even after providing the best treatment and nurturing, a rescued dog may still be unable to overcome certain hurdles of its behaviour. Cowering when someone familiar but not their adopter is touching them. Offer them luxury large dog beds in the UK, so the pet gets comfortable.
Trust issues while socializing, sensitivity to loud noise, and thunderstorm phobia are some of the most common hurdles. A rescued, hoarded dog never overcomes or does so to a certain point.
Conclusion
The misconception regarding the care one should provide to a hoarded dog is that their mental and behavioural health can be fixed with love and spoiling. However, this may be true for some but not for all. As for some dogs, it may take years to overcome their dilemma. The adopters need to accept their dogs the way they are and should be okay with the walls that the dogs themselves do not break.
