Animal Hoarder Stereotype and the Elderly

According to Linda Wilson Fuoco, Animal hoarders proving difficult to contain, post-gazette.com, Dec. 10, 2007:

It began with neighbors complaining about odors coming from the unkempt Uniontown home last month. Humane officers donned biohazard suits and breathing masks before entering, and emerged with 14 cats, six ferrets, four rabbits, one boxer dog and one red-eared slider turtle.

But inside among the feces, garbage and debris were nine dead animals, including seven cats.***

While many hoarders do fit the stereotype of women over 60 years old who live alone and have very little income, the HARC report says there are no age, gender or socioeconomic boundaries.***

Special thanks to Neil E. Hendershot, Esq. (Attorney at law, Goldberg Katzman, P.C., Adjunct Professor, Widener University School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.  You can read more on Neil’s blog at PA Elder, Estate & Fiduciary Law Blog.