Friday, February 10, 2012

Behind the Scenes: The Victims of Animal Cruelty



by Colleen O'Brien



Going into animal cruelty or hoarding stories require a great amount of strength, patience and sometimes a few tears. I'm a bleeding-heart animal lover that would (figuratively speaking) stop a car to prevent an animal from being hurt or killed.
It's my job to report the facts though, so I try to set aside all judgment and emotions when I'm faced with an animal who has clearly never felt a loving human hand. Or a human being who doesn't quite understand why his or her animals are being taken away.
It was my intent to find a psychologist who could shed light on animal hoarding as a mental illness. Those who suffer believe that nobody else can love their animals like they can. They believe that they are helping these animals by keeping them off the streets – even if that means keeping them in crowded kennels.
I can't say if today's case is that of animal hoarding, that is up to psychologist and judges to decide. I do know that 50 animals were taken from the home on East Crown and that this isn't the first, second or third time Spokanimal has been there to seize animals.
Also, according to Spokanimal officers, the woman relinquished all but four of the 50 animals and admitted they needed better care. This is not typical animal hoarding behavior, but again... I'm not a psychologist..."  More

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