" To "HOARDING." Great insight. The public also fails to understand, (sadly, sometimes even pet protection & advocacy groups), that it's not just that lonely lady down the street that's hoarding. There’s such a thing as "institutional hoarding." TUFTS University has conducted research on this. It's often the case where well-intentioned groups start by taking animals from shelters that are euthanizing for no other reason than to create space. It then evolves into a situation where typical hoarding psychology develops in key leadership. Although resources providing basic care begin to diminish, they continue to collect animals. As resources dwindle, even basic care becomes hard to provide. Regarding HHF: It saddens me that while HSPC has an excellent adoption rate and does not euthanize to create space (only for humane reasons - illness/aggression) they were denied the opportunity to help...even to retrieve animals they placed with HHF early on. Moreover, monies were solicited IN PARK COUNTY, I believe most animals were collected outside of PC, and yet HHF turned down HSPC's offer to help out of hand. That this group plans to “educate” to change legislation should frighten us all. "

" Hoarders justify their behavior with the view that the animals are surrogate children and that no one else can care for them. They harbor a fear that if they seek help the animals will be euthanized.

More recently, in a publication from the Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium, Animal Hoarding: Structuring interdisciplinary responses to help people, animals and communities at risk, Patronek and his cohorts list four key characteristics:
(See next comment by me!!)

Failure to provide minimal standards of sanitation, space, nutrition, and veterinary care for the animals

Inability to recognize the effects of this failure on the welfare of the animals, human members of the household, and the environment

Obsessive attempts to accumulate or maintain a collection of animals in the face of progressively deteriorating conditions

Denial or minimization of problems and living conditions for people and animals

Wow.... HHF is 3 out of 4 on this scale, scarry!!! "

" I find it hard to believe that HHF WILL NOT allow some of their animals to go to HSPC. HHF did not want to send specific breed dogs to organizations that take only that breed because there were too many good homes in Park County. Now, none will be located here if the board of HHF can help it. What changed? You take money and other donations from the local population but now they are not suitable for your animals.
This sounds like sour grapes and a "It's your fault" mentallity. "

" Is it “Too bad” the sanctuary is closing? Not in my opinion! I have visited the Loving Hearts sanctuary many times to check on the animals in their care. Not only were these dogs housed in chain kennels spending most oftheir days inside a dark and odor infested skating rink, but most of these dogs were high risk breeds “saved” from rescues around the state (and other states). These dogs were on euthanasia lists, and were deemed unadoptable by the other shelters. They should not have been brought to Park County, and should not have been placed for adoption at HHF. Sometimes euthanasia is more humane than locking the dog up for the rest of it’s life. These animals were packed in, and rarely let out for adoption because HHF made the process nearly impossible for anyone. I’m glad the sanctuary (If that’s what you want to call it..) is closing, that place was a dump and any animals housed there were suffering for it. "