In the news: Generally, when we think of hazmat incidents, we think of chemical spills, train derailments, or lithium battery fires. Rarely would we think of animal hoarders. But sadly, this is becoming an all too common situation as HazMat Nation reports in a recent article.
Why it matters: Fire and EMS responders are painfully aware of the problems associated with hoarder homes. It seems every community has at least one such home. Providing those residents with the best care during emergency response is challenging, to say the least.
Depending on what the individuals are hoarding, these calls can get into the realm of hazmat response. This is especially true when they hoard animals — mainly dogs and cats.
By the numbers: In the United States, there are more than 3,000 calls per year regarding animal hoarding. One recent call was on the more extreme end and required the response of a hazmat team.
In early December, at a home in Brick Township, New Jersey, police requested the hazmat team to remove 180 dogs and cats. According to The Associated Press, removing the animals took them 10 hours.
A few years back, authorities found 50 dogs and three cats in a 700-square-foot home in Idaho. According to KTVB, they found the home heavily contaminated with feces and urine.
What they’re saying: “The interior of this house was as deplorable as anything I’ve seen in the past 19 years of being involved in this kind of neglect and cruelty situations,” Dr. Jeff Rosenthal, DVM, a veterinarian and CEO of the Idaho Humane Society, said in a statement.
There, firefighters in full PPE and SCBA were brought in to ventilate the home before the animals could be safely rescued.
According to Knowledge Burrow, “a long list of potentially infectious agents are known to live in dog and cat feces — from E. coli to tapeworms. But perhaps less well-known is that many of these parasites become more infectious as the waste ages. Researchers say animal waste can cause serious health problems. They can spread some life-threatening bacteria and viruses to humans.”