There Are Hoarders in Western Colorado, We Just Don’t Know Where

I just saw the Associated Press story on the KKCO website about a woman in Fremont County, near Canon City, who was charged with animal hoarding and child abuse. According to the Associated Press, deputies smelled an odor coming from the home and had to put on hazmat suits before going inside. They found 26 cats, two chinchillas, a ferret, and apparently the woman voluntarily had taken 23 chihuahuas to the humane society. Are you kidding me? Do people really live like this?

Of course, the answer is yes, people really do live like this. We see it on television all the time - real-life accounts of hoarders who live in the most unbelievably filthy and unsanitary conditions. There is trash, garbage, animal feces, and junk piled everywhere. Family members often times try in vain to help these people see the light and get help for them. People who live like this need help to escape the hoarding trap in which they live. But, it is a trap and getting out of it is much easier said than done.

I am pretty sure there are hoarders here in the Grand Valley. Just drive around town and see for yourself. The first clue will be the piles of trash and junk on the outside of the house. Usually what's on the outside is a foretaste of what you will find on the inside. I have a feeling there are a lot more hoarders in the world than we realize.These people need help, but they may not realize it.

Watch these examples of extreme hoarding from TLC - the house filled with human waste and the "Elvis" hoarder. You will struggle between compassion and complete disgust.