[sweetwater]

RE: post 33: As a humane officer I saw this sort of situation (FAR TOO) often, and yet I managed to find enough breath to argue for the defendants. Animal hoarders define themselves as animal lovers and so will not turn away the dogs and cats left by others, and often cannot afford to alter them. It's not long before they are overwhelmed, desperate, and unable to seek help lest their animals be 'condemned to death' by a shelter. Humane society folk are often accused of loving animals over humans, but it was the public that screamed for blood. Banning those people from owning animals (or more than 2, subject to unannounced inspections by H.S. officers) is a better cure than jail, especially for the elderly who are the usual hoarders. It's sad all around, really - and as terrible as it was, it was good to be able to intervene on behalf of all the living creatures.