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Should NH prohibit animal hoarding?

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Animal hoarders are individuals with a compulsive need to collect animals. A variation of hoarding disorder, those who suffer from this form of mental illness often do not recognize they have a problem.

However, animal hoarding often results in unintentional neglect or abuse of pets. Pets can end up living in unsafe, unsanitary conditions, failing to be neutered and denied veterinary treatments. They may suffer from diseases and malnutrition, or die due to lack of care.

Hawaii is the only state to specifically outlaw animal hoarding. The law makes anyone owning more than 20 dogs, cats, or a combination thereof guilty of a misdemeanor if they fail to provide sufficient food for each pet. However, the state's legislation has been criticized for not mandating counseling and containing no provision restricting offenders from owning pets in the future.

Those opposed to a prohibition of animal hoarding argue that existing laws related to animal abuse and cruelty are sufficient to prosecute individuals who put animals at risk, or believe a law would essentially criminalize a mental disorder which would be better treated through counseling and community support. Others note that prosecuting animal hoarding cases entails the additional challenge of finding safe homes for the animals.

Supporters counter that animal hoarders are believed to cause more instances of injury and harm to their pets than intentional animal abusers, and note that existing animal cruelty laws can be difficult to enforce in animal hoarding cases. Making animal hoarding a separate offense would help protect pets from harm before it is too late, and the law could also be used to mandate mental treatment and monitor hoarders against reoffending.

UPDATE: Read our Citizen Voices℠ report and find out where New Hampshire stands on this issue.

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