Cape May Animal Hoarding Case to Be Aired Oct. 31

COURT HOUSE – The New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Police (NJSPCA) announced that a Cape May animal hoarding case will be profiled on A&E’s national reality television program “Hoarders.” The episode will appear on Oct. 31, 2011 at 9 p.m. and will be repeated throughout the fall season. For a preview of the episode, visit:
http://www.aetv.com/hoarders/episode-guide/ – Episode #52
Episode Description:
John is a 51-year-old retired corrections officer living in a house that has become overrun by his 40+ cats that are at this point hiding in the walls and in the ceilings. John inherited the house and cats from his mother before she died in 2008. Now the animals run wild through most of the home and all surfaces are covered with cat feces and urine. The remaining rooms are hoarded with John’s collections, guns and his mother’s items which he can’t get rid of. If John does not clean up his house and give the cats up for adoption, he could face multiple animal cruelty charges.
“This is a great opportunity for people in New Jersey, and throughout the United States, to see first hand the amazing work that the men and woman of the NJSPCA perform day in and day out,” said Rick Yocum, president, NJSPCA. “Many people have a very misguided view of the NJSPCA. Unfortunately, many perceive the NJSPCA as an agency focused purely on filing animal cruelty charges. Profiling this case on Hoarders will help shed some light on the types of cases the NJSPCA deals with on a daily basis and, more importantly, how the NJSPCA is keenly focused on the welfare of animals and their owners.”
“Working with the staff and crew of A&E’s Hoarders was truly an amazing experience for us,” added Yocum. “The amount of resources and expertise A&E’s Hoarders was able to bring to this case to help deal with the animals, as well as the human hoarding compulsion, was incredible. By combing our resources, we were able rescue the animals, get professional help for someone that not only needed it, but wanted it, and effectively dealt with a situation that was completely out of control……all without filing animal cruelty charges.”
Yocum concluded, “A special thanks to NJSPCA Officer Theresa Cooper who managed this case from start to finish, and continues to monitor the John’s progress on a frequent basis. Officer Cooper spent months on this case building trust with John, monitoring the animals, managing the removal and placement of the animals, and worked very closely with A&E’s Hoarders throughout the effort.”
About Hoarders:
HOARDERS™ not only captures the drama as experts work to put each hoarder on the road to recovery but also highlights the individual’s inner challenges and triumphs. Although cleaning marks the first step of tackling this disorder, success is not definite. For some individuals, throwing away the tiniest object is so traumatizing that they will not be able to allow the cleaning process to go on, no matter how it may impact their future. For others, professional help and an organizer’s instruction give them the strength to let go. At the end of each episode we’ll find out who has been able to keep their hoarding behavior under control and who has fallen into the deep end of this painful disease.