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Vula is hoarding more than 30 sickly cats that have completely destroyed her home. They have used every square inch of the house as a litter box, including the kitchen, which is filled with piles of hoarded food. Animal Control and the City Attorney have now stepped in, leaving Vula no choice but to clean up or face eviction and the demolition of her home.
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APNM has worked on numerous cases of animal hoarding here in New Mexico in conjunction with the New Mexico Attorney General’s Animal Cruelty Task Force. Law enforcement intervention has underscored the fact that children, animals and adults are exposed to squalor, disease and other dangerous living conditions that are created by a hoarder. Because of APNM's effective work to coordinate resources and gain relief for the people and animals caught in the complicated and sometimes life-threatening realm of hoarding in our own state, this summer APNM was called upon to assist authorities in the small town of Kokomo, Indiana for a case of cat and property hoarding.
For years neighbors there had been complaining about the filthy conditions of a hoarder's property, both inside and outside the home. By this summer, the smell of ammonia and rotting garbage had spread across the street of this manicured suburban neighborhood. That's when the hoarder’s sons contacted the TV series "Hoarders" for help.
APNM’s Cruelty Campaign Director, Heather Ferguson, along with forensic veterinarian, Dr. Patricia Feeser, and Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Investigator, Robyn Gojkovich, traveled to the home of Vula Moody in July after she was on the verge of losing her home for numerous town codes violations. Working alongside local veterinarians, local animal control, the Monroe County Humane Society, the Kokomo Fire Department and "Clutter Cleaners," the team spent almost four days rescuing dozens of sick cats and getting the home cleaned. In this and other cases, A&E provides an expert psychologist to be on scene to work with the hoarder and the family, and also provides six months of after-care, to provide resolution for the family and necessary therapy for the hoarder.
Although some cats were found already dead, all others were transferred immediately to the Kokomo Humane Society where they have been learning to use a litter box for the first time in their lives. A local veterinarian has been treating the cats for respiratory infections and related eye development disorders. All healthy cats will be up for adoption as soon as the local shelter determines they are ready to go to a forever home.
Update: The A&E episode featuring APNM aired on Monday, September 27th and Tuesday, September 28th. Visit A&E's website to watch an online broadcast: aetv.com/hoarders
To support APNM’s valuable, lifesaving work that challenges animal cruelty, please contribute today. You can easily give online at apnm.org/support/
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