Hey there; my name is Mojave and boy do I have a good old, tail waggin’ “tail” to tell you. This tale is not
for the timid or the faint of heart, so grab yourself a chew
toy, your favorite ripped-up blankie, or even Mom’s
brand new shirt… And get ready; I’m going to tell you, after you’ve made
yourselves comfy, what happened to me; I’m going to share my courageous story
about life with a dog hoarder in southern
First, according to the ASPCA website, some animal hoarders begin collecting animals after they suffer a traumatic event or a loss, while others see themselves as “rescuers” who are actually saving animals from a rough life on the street. Quite often, hoarders simply get too overwhelmed and cannot understand that they do not have the means to take care of so many animals, and the situation spirals out of control from there. In my case, the woman I lived with worked a regular job and meant well in the beginning. But then things started to get out of hand…
Out in the middle of nowhere in the barren and desolate Mojave Desert of
southern
Four other dogs and I were literally imprisoned; we spent all of our time cramped together in one teeny chain-link fenced-in cage. Yes, I am a large German Shepherd and I shared a tiny chain link cell with three other large dogs. Permanently. We were never let out of the enclosure. With no covered area to shelter us from the sweltering sunshine and other harsh desert elements, we barely survived through the scalding hot summers that brought temperatures well over 100 degrees. Likewise, we barely made it through the rough, lonely, terrifyingly freezing winters that always meant heavy snow and ice.
Tragically, hundreds of dogs suffer this same type of mistreatment and neglect – all at the hands of dog hoarders. It happens more often than I would like to think about, probably you, too.
Dog hoarding is a very serious
issue and had devastating effects on me and the other dogs held captive. Many
of us who were finally rescued from hoarders – or “collectors” as I and many
others like to call them – have had to experience and just get used to severe
overcrowding, dangerous malnourishment, near starvation, filthy grounds, little
to no human interaction and/or compassion, and severe neglect… all at the hands
of these people who we depended on to meet our basic needs. Most
of the time we don’t even get food or water. And never ever would there
be a chance we’d get a bone or a treat or a chew toy.
Many organizations, like the ASPCA and its Hoarding Prevention Team, work tirelessly to prevent the hoarding of dogs and animals by targeting the root causes that create this form of “animal addiction.”
I did not always live in such a dreadful place. Nope, I had once come from a home with another dog, but unfortunately he died while in my enclosure in the hoarder’s camp. When I was rescued, I was weak and very thin. I had to be lifted into the rescuer’s car because I was unable to get in myself. I suffered from an ear infection, dehydration, malnutrition and my toe nails were so long that they wrapped around my paws.
I don’t really know how long I lived (maybe survived is a better word) in that doggie concentration camp of the hoarder’s, but when my rescuers arrived, I was grateful for attention and I behaved very well.
Despite being in such a cruel environment, I am an even-tempered, older Shepherd who yearns to be someone’s loyal friend again. I don’t ask for much; just kindness, soft words, a cozy bed and regular meals. Most of all, I am looking for someone to help me have a future that is filled with love and sunshine so that I can put those dark days behind me forever.
It has taken some time and re-adjusting, but now I am beginning to settle into my new, safe surroundings. If you are looking to give a truly deserving dog a life of happiness, please don’t overlook me. I will even sit with you and keep my paw in your lap. I am a big-boned boy, and with a little care, my coat will be restored to a gleaming luster.
Thanks to the efforts of the German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County (CA) (GSROC), I have been given a new life and am looking for my forever home. GSROC is a non-profit 501c(3) charity organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing purebred German Shepherd dogs that have nowhere else to turn. They are an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff and are funded entirely by private donations and receive no government support. Dogs for adoption are housed in foster homes and private boarding facilities. If you are interested me, Mojave, or any of my fellow furry comrades up for adoption, visit us at http://www.gsroc.org/
To date, several different rescue organizations rescued approximately 93 of the dogs held captive by the Mojave hoarder; efforts still continue to get the rest of my fellow four-legged friends out of there. With the help of rescue organizations like GSROC I know that like me, those dogs will soon have a new reason to wag their tails once again!
If you want to support Mojave, please, please make
a donation to GSROC; you can even sponsor him
specifically! This big guy has been through more than any animal should ever
have to see in a lifetime, and we will never know how much it weighs on him…
It’s so sad. Please consider sponsoring Mojave as a favor to ThoughtsFurPaws. I’m making a donation through PayPal right now!
*Special Note from the Blogger, JL Smith: Hoarding is one of the most egregious forms of animal cruelty, affecting tens of thousands of animals – mostly cats and dogs – in communities in every state nationwide. Mojave’s story is, unfortunately, not the only one. Hoarders keep abnormally large numbers of animals for whom they do not provide even the most basic care. Animal victims of hoarders typically suffer horribly as a result, and, unlike most other forms of companion animal cruelty, their misery can go on for years. The sometimes hundreds of dog or cat victims of a single hoarder generally show signs of abuse such as severe malnutrition, untreated medical conditions including open sores, cancers, and advanced dental and eye diseases, and severe psychological distress.
** It is likely that up to a quarter million animals—250,000 per year—are victims of hoarders. What’s more, ALDF reports that over the last four years, the number of reported hoarding cases has more than doubled. In terms of the number of animals affected and the degree and duration of their suffering, hoarding is the number one animal cruelty crisis facing companion animals in communities throughout the country. It now usurps the puppy mill issue in this country as the number one animal welfare concern.
Civil Options for Stopping Animal Hoarders
Concerned members of the public need a civil right of action to initiate a
case against a hoarder. In most states, a prosecutor must be the one to
bring charges against animal hoarders for committing acts of cruelty to
animals. Provisions like
**** Sentencing including Mandatory Forfeiture
Hoarders have clearly demonstrated they are a serious threat to the well-being of animals entrusted to their care. Their rights to all of their animal victims should be forfeited upon conviction, thereby allowing these victims a chance at a better life in a new, loving home. Additionally, because statistics demonstrate that the vast majority of hoarders will recommit similar crimes in the future if given the opportunity, convicted hoarders should be barred from owning, possessing, or having any direct contact with animals. ALDF’s “First Strike and You’re Out” model law seeks to address this issue.
How to spot a hoarder:
What you can do to help: