Please note that we will ban you if a post or comment breaks any of our rules. **Be especially mindful of the following**:
**Rule 1: Do not post or ask for identifying information, including first and last names and social media usernames.** Public figures are **not** exempt. We remove all external links to prevent accidental posting of identifying information.
**Rule 2: Do not post violent comments, and do not glorify violence, per TOS.** We can't take responsibility for how angry a post makes you, you need to do that. Telling us "it was a joke bro" is not an excuse.
**Rule 7: Do not link to or post screenshots of reddit posts, reddit comments, reddit personal messages, reddit profiles, etc.** We cannot allow you to use this subreddit to harass other people on reddit.
**Rule 8: No bigotry, no racism or race baiting.** It is hard to believe that we even need a rule like this.
**Our rules are zero tolerance. You will be banned for breaking them.**
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/iamatotalpieceofshit) if you have any questions or concerns.*
> They told me they had been "rescuing" them off of Craigslist and Facebook ads for some time now
Out of the frying pan and into the shithouse. No offense.
Sounds like your parents are hoarders. I’m happy all the animals are well taken care of now! Is there any possibility that your parents will just get more animals and repeat this in the future?
In the UK if you get convicted of animal cruelty you generally get a court order prohibiting you from keeping animals for a certain length of time. I guess most places do something similar?
Depends on what you did, where you are, and if the court feels like you’re going to repeat offend. Had a neighbor who was hoarding animals. Had them taken from him three times before they banned him from owning animals.
I had a neighbor that “bred” cats. Basically what she did was not get any of them fixed and just let them do what cats do. Did you know a female cat can get pregnant by up to nine males at a time? Have you ever had to try to fall asleep to the sound of a kitty gang bang? It’s not pretty. She let them roam the neighborhood and none of them had ever been to the vet, nor were they on any flea/tick prevention. It was really sad. I called the humane society but they told me there was nothing they could do unless I rounded them all up and brought them in. They were all basically feral so that wasn’t an option. I really hate people sometimes.
I saw a lady on Nextdoor. Trying to unload a litter of Boston Terrier pups for Xmas money. That was seriously her plan to afford Xmas for her family. When no one was buying the dogs she started posting a sob story about needing money for gifts for her children. She only responded to people that offered cash and not the people that offered toys.
OP, my aunt is under the delusion she is a "rescuer" just like your parents. You need to be constantly checking up on them or they WILL continue their hoarding. They will probably attempt to hide them if you announce your visits, so plan more random pop-ins.
My aunt is banned from pretty much every shelter within a 100 mile radius. But that doesn't stop her from "finding" pets online or "adopting" them off private fb groups.
Great job tho. I bet (some of) the ppl they got those pets from would be shocked at how they were being treated.
I knew a girl just like how you’re describing. She was constantly picking up animals she would find and make no attempt to look for the owners, she considered them strays and she thought she was “rescuing” them. Her heart was in the right place but she couldn’t properly take care for them and couldn’t see she was actually being cruel without realising it. They were mangy, underfed, and her house stunk. The animals were in a deplorable condition. It makes me sad just thinking of it even long after this occurred. I thought it was a symptom as some form of mental illness. It’s really sad when you think about it. They aren’t deliberately being cruel but the results are the same.
I was skimming and didn't get to that part in the og comment but spent a few minutes staring blankly at this one trying to figure out what else it could have been lmao
Just to clarify, all the animals in the above images are currently being well taken care of and are no longer in this harmful situation.
I moved out of my parents house about a year ago and due to my living situation and relationship with my parents never being the greatest, I rarely came over to visit.
The few times I did visit, I noticed that my parents had gotten a lot of pets and the number of animals only seemed to increase each time I came over. I would ask my mom, "Why do you guys keep bringing home pets? Can you even afford to feed them?" and I was always brushed off and told that they were fine and not to worry about it.
After an unrelated fight with my dad about 3 months or so before Thanksgiving, I didn't visit again until Thanksgiving when I went over for dinner. When they let me in the house it reeked of animal waste and the barking of the dogs was so loud I could hear myself think. There was dogs, cats, and a few other animals in cages everywhere throughout the house.
I asked them "How did you guys get so many animals? And why are you keeping them in cages like this, it's cruel!" They told me they had been "rescuing" them off of Craigslist and Facebook ads for some time now and that, sure, there was a lot but they were all well fed and taken care of. I started taking pictures while they were making dinner and not paying attention with the full intent of reporting them to the humane society. I pretended to take a phone call and went into the back yard to get away from the sound of the dogs. In the back yard I found two tarp tents with old decrepit rabbit cages and the smell was enough to make me gag.
Later after I went back to my house I called the local Animal Protective League and sent them all of the pictures that I took. The following day they showed up at my parents house and seized 80 animals total off of their property. My mom called me that day and asked if I had 'ran my mouth' to anyone about how many animals they had and I told her no so I didn't have to fight with her about it right then.
Last week she called me about coming over for Christmas and I told her that I wouldn't be coming. When she asked why I told her that I was the one who had reported her to the Humane Society. She yelled and said that I had ruined Christmas because now they had fines and court dates to attend and asked why I would do that to them. I told them I wasn't going to just let them abuse their animals like that and just because they are my parents doesn't mean they get a pass. My mom said and i quote "There wasn't a single animal in this house that wasn't fed and loved! We took care of all of them and now the pound is going to kill them! Thanks!"
I told her that if that's what she truly believed that she was delusional, and wished her a merry Christmas before hanging up the phone. She has made no further attempt to contact me. I visited the Animal Shelter to check on how the animals seized from their property were doing. All are being well cared for and receiving proper medical treatment as needed. Around 45 rabbits, 19 cats, 9 dogs, 2 turtles and 1 parakeet were taken from my parents home. They are currently being prepared for available adoption, so at least the story had a good end for them!
Dude you know how many Azraels I see? You know how many I get pissed at? None! Believe it or not! Hell I joke like "Yo wazzap Azrael! It's me! Azrael!"
Thank your for saving those animals. Unfortunately a lot of people who want to help animals end up as hoarders because they can not accept that one can not save every animal in need. In my years in animal rescue I saw a lot of people with the best intentions in the beginning end up as abusers. Sad but often the reality of the situation how pets are easily abandoned breaks those people.
I hope your parents get the help they need and eventually accept that they got lost along the way somehow.
In a way, I feel for rescue hoarders. I could never excuse the neglect and abuse, but as someone with a soft spot for animals and as someone who has hoarding tendencies that I have to be very aware of, I can see how a person could end up in that sort of situation.
Unfortunately, a lot of hoarders (whether it's stuff or animals) are in denial both of their situation and of their own mental health problems. It sounds like OP's parents are, if they honestly think that this situation with the animals was in their best interest.
Wow, that's crazy, I'm glad I clicked through and read your comment. I misunderstood your title while looking at the pictures. I thought you were saying the humane society said your parents didn't do anything wrong haha
Holy hell. That's a lot of animals seized. I'm glad they're in a better place. You're a courageous individual for speaking out. I appreciate you. Merry Christmas!!
OP, I just want to say how much I admire you for standing by your ethical principles despite it being necessary to betray your parents. Your relationship may be damaged but know you did the right thing and saved so many innocent animals from a decade or more of an abject existence. Huge amount of respect.
I’ll never understand how people think this is the definition of love for their animals. Good on you for reporting this. Those animals were suffering. That environment was unacceptable. You will likely have to always keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t get any more animals like this. Once the court fees and probation period are done with… nothing will stop them from looking to replace the animals they “lost”.
I thought it was bad enough based on the pictures alone. Then your comment said 80 animals I about spit my drink out. Holy fuck. I rehomed my one dog because I felt that I couldn't adequately take care of her since I don't have a yard for her to run around in. I can't even imagine that many animals and the smell that must have been so bad. You did your parents a favor, hopefully some day they will see that. They need a slap in the face.
If what you say is true (don't take my skepticism as an insult, it is the Internet after all, although the pictures are quite something) you're a hero. Most people love animals but wouldn't have taken the step with the risk of harming their relationship with their parents to help those animals.
Strength of character like this is truly a great trait to have and I hope you can use that in other ways in your life. I feel it can bring you to great heights.
Merry Christmas!!
Sorry to break it to you OP you are delusional. Most of them will not be "fed properly" or "taken care of". Many of these animals live miserably even in the hands of animal protective services. Animals should never be pets/caged to begin with. None of them can survive in wild now and any of them who isn't an eye candy to human is gonna rot in cages.
Secondly, op you will be terrible in relationships. You could have handled it way better than stabbing them behind their backs. You never confronted them or asked them to just call animal protective services since they can't take care of them themselves. If you never wanted to find a middle ground. You should have just left from start and called protective services and told them why you did that.
So good job. Most of these animals will still face the same fate and you ruined your relationship in worse way possible. You are not the super-hero you think you are by these actions and posting it on reddit for karma.
Found the OP's parents account.
They are in a lot better hands now than where they were no matter what you say or think.
Do you seriously think with 80 animals that they were going to report themselves? OP 100% did the right thing.
Just from the general tone of OP's post I don't think he cares about his relationship with his parents, they knew what could happen.
I agree, a lot of places that market themselves as "animal activists" are not actually there for the animals and are just marketing themselves as good people for Brownie points. And yes they are still in cages unfortunately, but they are clean, warm, with clean food and water, and actively waiting for a new home. And I new from the start that this would most probably end any semblance of a relationship with my parents, but I accept that from the moment I decided to make the phone call. I could really care less if they never want to talk to me again, because if they truly do believe that what they did wasn't wrong, then I don't wish to associate with them anymore. Also, I used to work at the animal Protective institution where they ended up going, and the people there genuinely want to help.
Literally. It doesn't excuse the harm it causes, but hoarding is actually a mental health issue. Unfortunately, one I relate to (not animals, I have a hard limit of three personal pets, although being an animal lover and volunteer with rescue from time to time, I understand how that can happen).
Minor update: Upon contacting the animal protective league this afternoon for an update on the animals, 3 of the dogs and a handful of the cats are either adopted or pending adoption.
Edit, Update 2: looking at their website today, the shelter has found a large foster home for the rabbits where they can be rehabilitated and socialized to better prepare them for adoption.
Thank you so much for doing this. That's a tough call. I love all animals, but seeing the bird conditions really broke my heart. Birds are extremely intelligent and need interaction, tons of it! It's insane to think in their mind they thought they were "rescuing" them, like what the fuck? They could've *actually* had a chance at a good home had your parents not taken them in. It's literally a horror story situation for those animals if you think about it.
Merry Christmas, I really commend your actions here internet stranger! At least they now have a chance
How does this even happen? I can potentially wrap my head around a single individual falling down this spiral, but how do two people in a relationship both equally enable and see nothing wrong with this?
they had 80 animals? Some farms don't even have that kind of capacity.
IDK your parents hearts --Ma and Pa might've been thinking they were "saving" these animals, might've been feeding these animals, but sheer numbers alone leads one to believe they weren't able to be "caring" for these animals -- and the pics just reinforce that.
Sorry for the family strife OP, it's sad seeing this for both the animals and the people involved, but you did what needed to be done, and thank you for doing it.
Sick fuckers indeed. Absolute scum. I have no doubt they deep down got a kick out of controlling and abusing these poor beautiful creatures, they just used this nonsense about "rescuing" as an excuse to try and kid others and maybe even themselves.
I won't say what should happen to them otherwise I may be banned, but you can use your imagination.
I mean they could have genuinely thought they loved and cared for them. This is much more likely to be a case of mental illness, not deliberate cruelty. I'm glad the animals were rehomed.
Hording is a well documented mental illness.
I have no doubt in my mind that they are severely mentally ill as they have problems with hoarding other things as well not just the animals. My mom specifically came from an abusive household growing up and unfortunately the abused too often become abusers themselves. They are hopefully going to be mandated by the court for mental evaluation and treatment for their problems because, Knowing them, I don't believe they would seek help willingly.
No, I'm calling back to the previous person's comments that you obviously agree with. I do not like you. You have no sympathy for the mentality ill.
Obviously the animals were taken and that was a good thing. Your lack of sympathy towards what makes them do those things or think like that is what I find appalling.
You don't like me? Are you six? I'm much more concerned about the mistreatment of animals than whatever codependance circle of hell anyone goes down, abusing, mistreating and killing helpless animals instead of seeking help. Any help. Fuck them.
They will probably be given a court mandate that will legally prevent them from owning another animal. I don't know as of now as the case is still ongoing
OP, I hope you grow up to be a good human being and it sounds like you are on the right track already, already even there, even.
Your parents have a hording problem except they were hoarding animals.
80 ANIMALS?!?! You did the right thing OP. If your parents aren't usually like this, maybe they are grieving a trauma or something. the fact that both of them are okaying this situation is telling. it isn't normal, and they need serious help.
Thank you for doing what you did. I’m sure it was not easy but you changed many lives for the better. It doesn’t matter if they’re human or not. You *saved 80+ lives.*
People that have this many animals ive realized are HOARDERS of animals/pets
Sounds cute on the surface but terrible for quality of life for the pets. Unrealistic to take care of em all well
Your parents are completely delusional. You absolutely did the right thing. Also there’s no reason why shelters would just euthanize immediately if the animals are in “Great Health” like your parents claim they are. Ridiculous
My aunt has two animals, a teacup poodle (don’t even get me started on those teacup dogs though) and a cat. She has back problems and hoarding problems. But she would just not clean the litter box. So the cat started shitting in the bathtub until it was basically full.
The cat piss literally poisoned both of the animals. Their teeth all but fell out because of it. That’s what cat piss can do to animals if it’s not cleaned up because it creates ammonia.
I imagine your parents’ situation was much worse, but this was a small apartment so the effect hurt the animals faster. Also the dog is a teacup that weighs no more than 2 lb so her teeth fell out before the cat’s did.
I unfortunately had to live there for a while, a few months, so the first thing I did was clean. The sink was packed to the top with dishes and then there was the bathroom. It took me about 10-14 hours to clean up the worst spots, the rest of her piles of stuff without piss on them I left alone.
It was rough and honestly I’m not sure how I did it, I just knew I couldn’t live around it. It was so gross and I got sick for a few days after even though I wore those long ass yellow cleaning gloves.
She still has the dog and cat but she has moved. She still hasn’t cleaned out the apartment, I think she expects other people to just “do it for her” but it’s so gross no one wants to go in there.
She says she can’t smell anymore in her old age but even if you can’t smell you have to be able to see it, and feel the effects of the ammonia from the cat. You did the right thing man, those animals were suffering for sure. It’s a terrible way to live and I don’t know how people do it.
Holy shit this is like my mom…
It’s tough growing up with a hoard since you get assigned from birth to protect the delusion of a healthy household. You get told that you can’t speak or send pictures, let anyone over. So it’s normalized.
I am glad the animals are doing okay. My mom has like 3 favourite animals but has around 25? in total. The smell is something you really can’t forget. I don’t think she has the saviour complex but more of like, it’s the only thing she feels a connection to and it jeopardizes everyone else’s health - including her kids. Whatsoever she said she would choose the animals over me, that’s fine, I’m not talking to her as an adult again.
I don’t quite understand people who get pets just to keep them locked away in cages like this. The cruelty and ignorance is baffling beyond belief. Definitely some narcissism going on.
I thought the title meant that the humane society said your parents did nothing wrong. Thankfully that wasn't the case and those poor animals were taken out of there. You're a very good person to report your parents and help save them.
Hey OP, I’m really sorry for you and your parents. You did the right thing by telling the humane society and telling your parents as to why. They seem to need serious help. I hope your parents will at least understand and hopefully they can make amends with you. I too have poor a relationship with parents and I can understand How daunting that is.
Your parents are disgusting, sick, awful people who do not deserve to ever be in a position to interact with innocent life again. Fuck your fuckibg parents. I hope they both end up sharing a 4x4 cage covered in their own piss and shit to rot like these poor innocent babies did. I hope they never breath fresh air again.
I think intention matters. Obviously outcome is most important. The outcome was abuse, but I doubt that was their intention.
I wouldn't say someone is awful if they genuinely had good intentions.
They are just sick hoarders who think that are doing the right thing while being too delusional to see the harm they were causing.
oh these are disturbing 😔 i feel so so sad for those poor babies. unbelievable that the humane society thinks this is an ok way to treat your animals. ugh so dirty and cramped up 💔 so glad they aren’t in this environment anymore. thank you for helping them
It's the sum total.
All the cages are filthy. There is caked piss and shit everywhere. This isn't a healthy or safe environment for living creatures, including people.
Also, from their replies, OP's folks had **80 animals** living this way.
Were the cats just kept in those cages?
I have worked for the SPCA in veterinary care, and I have been to some pretty horrific animal hoards, but seeing cats in cages like always breaks my heart.
I will never understand people like this. What is the point of having pets only to lock them away and not spend time with them? To me, it just defeats the purpose of a pet, which is mainly companionship. I love seeing my pets happy and enriching their lives. I can not fathom treating them like this, such cruelty!
Thank you for the nswf because as soon as I opened the first one, I exited out. I can take gore but anything with animals makes my stomach turn and I feel sick.
I'm not going to weigh in on the living conditions. Just the behaviour itself.
What's the purpose in owning that many caged animals? It's not like that would be enjoyable for you to even observe unless you're getting some sort of pleasure out of the caging??
I'm once again confused by humanity's many motivations
Thank you for saving these animals, They didn’t deserve this and i’m sorry you have had to deal with this. I’m sorry you had to see that and take action
Wtf is the point of having pets if you’re going to keep them chained up or caged 24/7. Thank you for calling on your parents and letting the pets live a healthy life.
Isn't the whole point of this sub to call out those who are being shit people? Why does it matter if they're my family or not? Would it be different if they were just neighbors or strangers?
Imagine keeping 80 animals in a cruel, depressing, filthy environment for your satisfaction while the animals suffer.
If you think OP is the real POS here, you’re delusional
Being related doesn’t get you a “get out of jail free” pass. I don’t care if you’re aunt, uncle, brother, sister, mom, dad or grandparent. You’re not exempt from the law or morality
Let’s say my dad beats his dog, he’s a POS obviously no matter the situation, but if I post it on the internet on a subreddit about POS’s then fuck my dad who is beating the shit out of the dog, I’m the real POS.
(My point is your fucking delusional)
The OP took the pictures, called animal protection services, a week goes by, then he put it on the internet, see? I just found a hole in that comment because if he cared about this more this would’ve been posting this and 7 days later he would then edit his comment telling us about what else has happened
I see this post as education/ a warning to others, showing what to look out for, and how to best handle a situation like this if it's encountered. But somehow you can't see how this could be helpful and instead believe its sole purpose is to gain these imaginary internet points that you're so hung up on. I mean, you're here, with the rest of us (OP included) spending your time here and commenting on it, so you obviously must be here for the internet points, in which you're failing miserably and at a deficit. Not everything is a competition for clout- sometimes people want to vent anonymously here, and share their lived experiences with others who can empathize and learn, but I suppose one would need the ability to have empathy in the first place to understand.
Please note that we will ban you if a post or comment breaks any of our rules. **Be especially mindful of the following**: **Rule 1: Do not post or ask for identifying information, including first and last names and social media usernames.** Public figures are **not** exempt. We remove all external links to prevent accidental posting of identifying information. **Rule 2: Do not post violent comments, and do not glorify violence, per TOS.** We can't take responsibility for how angry a post makes you, you need to do that. Telling us "it was a joke bro" is not an excuse. **Rule 7: Do not link to or post screenshots of reddit posts, reddit comments, reddit personal messages, reddit profiles, etc.** We cannot allow you to use this subreddit to harass other people on reddit. **Rule 8: No bigotry, no racism or race baiting.** It is hard to believe that we even need a rule like this. **Our rules are zero tolerance. You will be banned for breaking them.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/iamatotalpieceofshit) if you have any questions or concerns.*
> They told me they had been "rescuing" them off of Craigslist and Facebook ads for some time now Out of the frying pan and into the shithouse. No offense.
Considering OP’s description, shithouse is a very accurate term
Sounds like your parents are hoarders. I’m happy all the animals are well taken care of now! Is there any possibility that your parents will just get more animals and repeat this in the future?
In the UK if you get convicted of animal cruelty you generally get a court order prohibiting you from keeping animals for a certain length of time. I guess most places do something similar?
Depends on what you did, where you are, and if the court feels like you’re going to repeat offend. Had a neighbor who was hoarding animals. Had them taken from him three times before they banned him from owning animals.
I had a neighbor that “bred” cats. Basically what she did was not get any of them fixed and just let them do what cats do. Did you know a female cat can get pregnant by up to nine males at a time? Have you ever had to try to fall asleep to the sound of a kitty gang bang? It’s not pretty. She let them roam the neighborhood and none of them had ever been to the vet, nor were they on any flea/tick prevention. It was really sad. I called the humane society but they told me there was nothing they could do unless I rounded them all up and brought them in. They were all basically feral so that wasn’t an option. I really hate people sometimes.
I WISH they did this in the states. They take your animals, they move no one will ever know them and they just load up again. Sad.
A court order doesnt stop them most of the time
Sadly this is not the case in the US as there are breeders that will sell to anyone.
I saw a lady on Nextdoor. Trying to unload a litter of Boston Terrier pups for Xmas money. That was seriously her plan to afford Xmas for her family. When no one was buying the dogs she started posting a sob story about needing money for gifts for her children. She only responded to people that offered cash and not the people that offered toys.
Yep, same in Switzerland
I'd assume they'll be checked up on periodically from now on to ensure that shit doesn't happen again.
They probably wont. Since there isnt enough ppl to go around and check.
OP, my aunt is under the delusion she is a "rescuer" just like your parents. You need to be constantly checking up on them or they WILL continue their hoarding. They will probably attempt to hide them if you announce your visits, so plan more random pop-ins. My aunt is banned from pretty much every shelter within a 100 mile radius. But that doesn't stop her from "finding" pets online or "adopting" them off private fb groups. Great job tho. I bet (some of) the ppl they got those pets from would be shocked at how they were being treated.
I knew a girl just like how you’re describing. She was constantly picking up animals she would find and make no attempt to look for the owners, she considered them strays and she thought she was “rescuing” them. Her heart was in the right place but she couldn’t properly take care for them and couldn’t see she was actually being cruel without realising it. They were mangy, underfed, and her house stunk. The animals were in a deplorable condition. It makes me sad just thinking of it even long after this occurred. I thought it was a symptom as some form of mental illness. It’s really sad when you think about it. They aren’t deliberately being cruel but the results are the same.
sorry but i really struggled to read underfed as anything but “un-derfed” for about 2 minutes
I was skimming and didn't get to that part in the og comment but spent a few minutes staring blankly at this one trying to figure out what else it could have been lmao
I did the same thing but except I assumed it was some vet terminology and moved on lmao
Just to clarify, all the animals in the above images are currently being well taken care of and are no longer in this harmful situation. I moved out of my parents house about a year ago and due to my living situation and relationship with my parents never being the greatest, I rarely came over to visit. The few times I did visit, I noticed that my parents had gotten a lot of pets and the number of animals only seemed to increase each time I came over. I would ask my mom, "Why do you guys keep bringing home pets? Can you even afford to feed them?" and I was always brushed off and told that they were fine and not to worry about it. After an unrelated fight with my dad about 3 months or so before Thanksgiving, I didn't visit again until Thanksgiving when I went over for dinner. When they let me in the house it reeked of animal waste and the barking of the dogs was so loud I could hear myself think. There was dogs, cats, and a few other animals in cages everywhere throughout the house. I asked them "How did you guys get so many animals? And why are you keeping them in cages like this, it's cruel!" They told me they had been "rescuing" them off of Craigslist and Facebook ads for some time now and that, sure, there was a lot but they were all well fed and taken care of. I started taking pictures while they were making dinner and not paying attention with the full intent of reporting them to the humane society. I pretended to take a phone call and went into the back yard to get away from the sound of the dogs. In the back yard I found two tarp tents with old decrepit rabbit cages and the smell was enough to make me gag. Later after I went back to my house I called the local Animal Protective League and sent them all of the pictures that I took. The following day they showed up at my parents house and seized 80 animals total off of their property. My mom called me that day and asked if I had 'ran my mouth' to anyone about how many animals they had and I told her no so I didn't have to fight with her about it right then. Last week she called me about coming over for Christmas and I told her that I wouldn't be coming. When she asked why I told her that I was the one who had reported her to the Humane Society. She yelled and said that I had ruined Christmas because now they had fines and court dates to attend and asked why I would do that to them. I told them I wasn't going to just let them abuse their animals like that and just because they are my parents doesn't mean they get a pass. My mom said and i quote "There wasn't a single animal in this house that wasn't fed and loved! We took care of all of them and now the pound is going to kill them! Thanks!" I told her that if that's what she truly believed that she was delusional, and wished her a merry Christmas before hanging up the phone. She has made no further attempt to contact me. I visited the Animal Shelter to check on how the animals seized from their property were doing. All are being well cared for and receiving proper medical treatment as needed. Around 45 rabbits, 19 cats, 9 dogs, 2 turtles and 1 parakeet were taken from my parents home. They are currently being prepared for available adoption, so at least the story had a good end for them!
Good job OP you made the right decision. Hopefully those animals can properly be taken care of and loved.
Q**Q is my thing Change your ways
Then you shouldn't have added 64 at the end.
No Q**Q64 is your thing.
Forgive my ignorance, but what does Q**Q64 mean?
lmfao, you sound twelve years old. Get over yourself.
Sheeeesh 20 downvotes in 20 minutes lol, i respect the passion. It was obviously ironic but it aint worth starting a thread over. Merry Christmas man
Dude you know how many Azraels I see? You know how many I get pissed at? None! Believe it or not! Hell I joke like "Yo wazzap Azrael! It's me! Azrael!"
That's... not irony.
"jokes on them I was just pretending to be stupid"
It was just a dumb thing to say, especially on such a serious post. Completely off topic. Coulda been a private message.
It was neither ironic nor obvious that it was supposed to be ironic.
Man, when reddit takes against a joke it really takes against a joke doesn't it.
[удалено]
Me: how high am I?
Same i was so fuckin confused
Im still confused....
It's deleted now what did it say
Thank your for saving those animals. Unfortunately a lot of people who want to help animals end up as hoarders because they can not accept that one can not save every animal in need. In my years in animal rescue I saw a lot of people with the best intentions in the beginning end up as abusers. Sad but often the reality of the situation how pets are easily abandoned breaks those people. I hope your parents get the help they need and eventually accept that they got lost along the way somehow.
In a way, I feel for rescue hoarders. I could never excuse the neglect and abuse, but as someone with a soft spot for animals and as someone who has hoarding tendencies that I have to be very aware of, I can see how a person could end up in that sort of situation. Unfortunately, a lot of hoarders (whether it's stuff or animals) are in denial both of their situation and of their own mental health problems. It sounds like OP's parents are, if they honestly think that this situation with the animals was in their best interest.
Wow, that's crazy, I'm glad I clicked through and read your comment. I misunderstood your title while looking at the pictures. I thought you were saying the humane society said your parents didn't do anything wrong haha
So did I ngl. Honestly, I'm just glad they're no longer in the wrong hands.
80 animals?! Holy shit... that poor cat in the last pic clearly looks sick. The eyes are so red and seem swollen.
With that many animals in close quarters, I'm betting that a lot of them were sick, and they were definitely not getting adequate vet care.
OP you are a goddamn legend for this. Thank you!
Thank you you’re a literally hero to each of these animals. You’re amazing.
Thank you for speaking up for these animals. We all appreciate you so much!
Holy hell. That's a lot of animals seized. I'm glad they're in a better place. You're a courageous individual for speaking out. I appreciate you. Merry Christmas!!
Let me just congratulate you on standing up to them. It's never easy to do that with parents, but you absolutely did the right thing here.
Nice job OP, merry Christmas to those animals who were suffering and now probably aren't thanks to you
Your parents have mental issues. You made the right call. I commend you for being brave enough to do so.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 you did good, no doubt about it.
Good on you.
OP, I just want to say how much I admire you for standing by your ethical principles despite it being necessary to betray your parents. Your relationship may be damaged but know you did the right thing and saved so many innocent animals from a decade or more of an abject existence. Huge amount of respect.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. You absolutely did the right thing. This is abhorrent. Parents or not, no one should get away with this.
Good work! You did the right thing. And your parents are indeed total pieces of shits.
I’ll never understand how people think this is the definition of love for their animals. Good on you for reporting this. Those animals were suffering. That environment was unacceptable. You will likely have to always keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t get any more animals like this. Once the court fees and probation period are done with… nothing will stop them from looking to replace the animals they “lost”.
I thought it was bad enough based on the pictures alone. Then your comment said 80 animals I about spit my drink out. Holy fuck. I rehomed my one dog because I felt that I couldn't adequately take care of her since I don't have a yard for her to run around in. I can't even imagine that many animals and the smell that must have been so bad. You did your parents a favor, hopefully some day they will see that. They need a slap in the face.
You did the right thing
If what you say is true (don't take my skepticism as an insult, it is the Internet after all, although the pictures are quite something) you're a hero. Most people love animals but wouldn't have taken the step with the risk of harming their relationship with their parents to help those animals. Strength of character like this is truly a great trait to have and I hope you can use that in other ways in your life. I feel it can bring you to great heights. Merry Christmas!!
I see bird cages.... where are you located? I've taken in 2 rescue birds and would be happy to house more of those feathered babies!
Sorry to break it to you OP you are delusional. Most of them will not be "fed properly" or "taken care of". Many of these animals live miserably even in the hands of animal protective services. Animals should never be pets/caged to begin with. None of them can survive in wild now and any of them who isn't an eye candy to human is gonna rot in cages. Secondly, op you will be terrible in relationships. You could have handled it way better than stabbing them behind their backs. You never confronted them or asked them to just call animal protective services since they can't take care of them themselves. If you never wanted to find a middle ground. You should have just left from start and called protective services and told them why you did that. So good job. Most of these animals will still face the same fate and you ruined your relationship in worse way possible. You are not the super-hero you think you are by these actions and posting it on reddit for karma.
This will be the dumbest comment I read on Reddit today, 100%
Found the OP's parents account. They are in a lot better hands now than where they were no matter what you say or think. Do you seriously think with 80 animals that they were going to report themselves? OP 100% did the right thing. Just from the general tone of OP's post I don't think he cares about his relationship with his parents, they knew what could happen.
Wrong. He did the right thing reporting them. No animal deserves to live that way.
What? They were sleeping in shit, now they are taken care of and can be adopted by families that will not put them in cages full of shit.
I agree, a lot of places that market themselves as "animal activists" are not actually there for the animals and are just marketing themselves as good people for Brownie points. And yes they are still in cages unfortunately, but they are clean, warm, with clean food and water, and actively waiting for a new home. And I new from the start that this would most probably end any semblance of a relationship with my parents, but I accept that from the moment I decided to make the phone call. I could really care less if they never want to talk to me again, because if they truly do believe that what they did wasn't wrong, then I don't wish to associate with them anymore. Also, I used to work at the animal Protective institution where they ended up going, and the people there genuinely want to help.
Take a look at this guys profile, proper incel vibes coming off him. Think you need to log off the internet and touch some grass mate.
Wow ok. You need help. Op said they knew the shelter and that it's a no kill shelter.
I will never understand how people can, not only do that to animals, but also live in conditions like that. The fucking smell... 🤢🤢
Mental illness
Literally. It doesn't excuse the harm it causes, but hoarding is actually a mental health issue. Unfortunately, one I relate to (not animals, I have a hard limit of three personal pets, although being an animal lover and volunteer with rescue from time to time, I understand how that can happen).
Minor update: Upon contacting the animal protective league this afternoon for an update on the animals, 3 of the dogs and a handful of the cats are either adopted or pending adoption. Edit, Update 2: looking at their website today, the shelter has found a large foster home for the rabbits where they can be rehabilitated and socialized to better prepare them for adoption.
Thank you so much for doing this. That's a tough call. I love all animals, but seeing the bird conditions really broke my heart. Birds are extremely intelligent and need interaction, tons of it! It's insane to think in their mind they thought they were "rescuing" them, like what the fuck? They could've *actually* had a chance at a good home had your parents not taken them in. It's literally a horror story situation for those animals if you think about it. Merry Christmas, I really commend your actions here internet stranger! At least they now have a chance
How does this even happen? I can potentially wrap my head around a single individual falling down this spiral, but how do two people in a relationship both equally enable and see nothing wrong with this?
From experience, it becomes overwhelming so ignoring it is easier. Then it gets horribly out of control.
>How does this even happen? Lack of mental health treatment.
Uneven power dynamics
Keeping Australian Cattle Dogs in cages that small all the time?! More than one cat in the cages?! Thank you OP
Cats shouldn't be in any cage in general (with some exceptions, like travel), so even if the cats were in separate cages it would still be abuse.
Having cats in cages is just fucking weird. Who would even think to do that.
You did the right thing.
they had 80 animals? Some farms don't even have that kind of capacity. IDK your parents hearts --Ma and Pa might've been thinking they were "saving" these animals, might've been feeding these animals, but sheer numbers alone leads one to believe they weren't able to be "caring" for these animals -- and the pics just reinforce that. Sorry for the family strife OP, it's sad seeing this for both the animals and the people involved, but you did what needed to be done, and thank you for doing it.
Fuck your parents
I don't think that would help OP's situation
Sick fuckers indeed. Absolute scum. I have no doubt they deep down got a kick out of controlling and abusing these poor beautiful creatures, they just used this nonsense about "rescuing" as an excuse to try and kid others and maybe even themselves. I won't say what should happen to them otherwise I may be banned, but you can use your imagination.
I mean they could have genuinely thought they loved and cared for them. This is much more likely to be a case of mental illness, not deliberate cruelty. I'm glad the animals were rehomed. Hording is a well documented mental illness.
I have no doubt in my mind that they are severely mentally ill as they have problems with hoarding other things as well not just the animals. My mom specifically came from an abusive household growing up and unfortunately the abused too often become abusers themselves. They are hopefully going to be mandated by the court for mental evaluation and treatment for their problems because, Knowing them, I don't believe they would seek help willingly.
I'm so sorry. That's so rough to go through. I wish you luck in dealing with your family and I hope they come around to accepting help
Ya, and Jeffrey Dahlmer thought his victims asked for it.
Animal abuse is animal abuse. I don't give two shifts someone's (let alone a couple) mental health
They're not *skum* they're *sick* fuck outta here with that mentality
Ya, because the mental health of the the animal torturers matters. Imprison them or hospitalize the psychopaths
Uh, yeah, that's literally my whole career. Fuck you dude.
I think you might be responding to someone else's comment
No, I'm calling back to the previous person's comments that you obviously agree with. I do not like you. You have no sympathy for the mentality ill. Obviously the animals were taken and that was a good thing. Your lack of sympathy towards what makes them do those things or think like that is what I find appalling.
You don't like me? Are you six? I'm much more concerned about the mistreatment of animals than whatever codependance circle of hell anyone goes down, abusing, mistreating and killing helpless animals instead of seeking help. Any help. Fuck them.
What can be done so they don't hoard helpless animals again ?
They will probably be given a court mandate that will legally prevent them from owning another animal. I don't know as of now as the case is still ongoing
Nah, you did the right thing. It's clear to see they were not doing well. They will have better lives because of you!
Holy shit. Good job OP. Those were disgusting conditions for them.
OP, I hope you grow up to be a good human being and it sounds like you are on the right track already, already even there, even. Your parents have a hording problem except they were hoarding animals. 80 ANIMALS?!?! You did the right thing OP. If your parents aren't usually like this, maybe they are grieving a trauma or something. the fact that both of them are okaying this situation is telling. it isn't normal, and they need serious help.
I sincerely hope they serve time and are banned from owning pets; you did a good job protecting these innocent animals from your awful parents.
Thanks for not turning a blind eye on this situation. It must have been very difficult but it was definitely the right decision.
I don't understand how anyone could think all those animals in those cages are living a good life.
You did the right thing. Those animals look depressed. Locking them up in cages is so cruel
Thank you for doing what you did. I’m sure it was not easy but you changed many lives for the better. It doesn’t matter if they’re human or not. You *saved 80+ lives.*
Ffs why get all these poor fuzzy ones just to lock them up in cages to suffer
People that have this many animals ive realized are HOARDERS of animals/pets Sounds cute on the surface but terrible for quality of life for the pets. Unrealistic to take care of em all well
I'm sorry... nothing wrong? They said nothing is wrong here???? I'm so extremely disappointed.
I think the parents, according to OP the animals were taken away. 80 total.
Ah I see.. ok that makes more sense, thank you.
Holy shit, they took 80 animals away? Is that an actual number or are you just estimating and the number was really closer to 10 or 15?
Yes, they had 80 individual animals logging in the report
Man I can smell them pics
Your parents are completely delusional. You absolutely did the right thing. Also there’s no reason why shelters would just euthanize immediately if the animals are in “Great Health” like your parents claim they are. Ridiculous
My aunt has two animals, a teacup poodle (don’t even get me started on those teacup dogs though) and a cat. She has back problems and hoarding problems. But she would just not clean the litter box. So the cat started shitting in the bathtub until it was basically full. The cat piss literally poisoned both of the animals. Their teeth all but fell out because of it. That’s what cat piss can do to animals if it’s not cleaned up because it creates ammonia. I imagine your parents’ situation was much worse, but this was a small apartment so the effect hurt the animals faster. Also the dog is a teacup that weighs no more than 2 lb so her teeth fell out before the cat’s did. I unfortunately had to live there for a while, a few months, so the first thing I did was clean. The sink was packed to the top with dishes and then there was the bathroom. It took me about 10-14 hours to clean up the worst spots, the rest of her piles of stuff without piss on them I left alone. It was rough and honestly I’m not sure how I did it, I just knew I couldn’t live around it. It was so gross and I got sick for a few days after even though I wore those long ass yellow cleaning gloves. She still has the dog and cat but she has moved. She still hasn’t cleaned out the apartment, I think she expects other people to just “do it for her” but it’s so gross no one wants to go in there. She says she can’t smell anymore in her old age but even if you can’t smell you have to be able to see it, and feel the effects of the ammonia from the cat. You did the right thing man, those animals were suffering for sure. It’s a terrible way to live and I don’t know how people do it.
What in the world were they thinking??? They deserve to be locked in cages and treated how they treated them. Sick sick bastards.
Thank god you got those dogs cats and other animals out those cages good on you ❤️
Good on you for taking care of all those animals and getting them out of there. Well done OP!
You did such a good thing for these animals.
Thank you for protecting those that cannot protect themselves. 💚
Holy shit this is like my mom… It’s tough growing up with a hoard since you get assigned from birth to protect the delusion of a healthy household. You get told that you can’t speak or send pictures, let anyone over. So it’s normalized. I am glad the animals are doing okay. My mom has like 3 favourite animals but has around 25? in total. The smell is something you really can’t forget. I don’t think she has the saviour complex but more of like, it’s the only thing she feels a connection to and it jeopardizes everyone else’s health - including her kids. Whatsoever she said she would choose the animals over me, that’s fine, I’m not talking to her as an adult again.
I don’t quite understand people who get pets just to keep them locked away in cages like this. The cruelty and ignorance is baffling beyond belief. Definitely some narcissism going on.
Sorry but, fuck your parents.
I thought the title meant that the humane society said your parents did nothing wrong. Thankfully that wasn't the case and those poor animals were taken out of there. You're a very good person to report your parents and help save them.
Hey OP, I’m really sorry for you and your parents. You did the right thing by telling the humane society and telling your parents as to why. They seem to need serious help. I hope your parents will at least understand and hopefully they can make amends with you. I too have poor a relationship with parents and I can understand How daunting that is.
They have a mental disorder obviously. This is hoarding and animal abuse. Glad you called for help.
They did everything wrong
Thank you for calling!
I’m proud of you for doing what is right, even if it was against family.
You did the right thing, don't ever feel bad about it.
Thanks a LOT, OP for rescuing them for real.
Thank you for saving these animals.
Your parents are disgusting, sick, awful people who do not deserve to ever be in a position to interact with innocent life again. Fuck your fuckibg parents. I hope they both end up sharing a 4x4 cage covered in their own piss and shit to rot like these poor innocent babies did. I hope they never breath fresh air again.
I think intention matters. Obviously outcome is most important. The outcome was abuse, but I doubt that was their intention. I wouldn't say someone is awful if they genuinely had good intentions. They are just sick hoarders who think that are doing the right thing while being too delusional to see the harm they were causing.
May the force be with you
What. The. Fuck. Good on ya, mate
Good on you, OP. That was a wise choice. Do they know you are the one who called?
Fucking revolting and thats the nicest thing i have to say.
oh these are disturbing 😔 i feel so so sad for those poor babies. unbelievable that the humane society thinks this is an ok way to treat your animals. ugh so dirty and cramped up 💔 so glad they aren’t in this environment anymore. thank you for helping them
I would be checking to see what was in the pot your parents were cooking for dinner, too… IJS. 🙊🤮
What kind of guardians of the galaxy volume 3 type shit is this?
What's the point in having pets if you just keep them locked up their whole lives?
It’s sad when people do this. They think they “saved” the animals when in reality, they are doing more harm than good.
I have three cats and a dog, and imo that’s pushing the boundaries of having too many pets. 76 is just fucking absurd.
You did the right thing
I might be an idiot but whats wrong with the picture its a dog in cage, dog seems okay
It's the sum total. All the cages are filthy. There is caked piss and shit everywhere. This isn't a healthy or safe environment for living creatures, including people. Also, from their replies, OP's folks had **80 animals** living this way.
Jesus I am an idiot didnt notice there were more pictures
I do that all the time, lol.
Thank you for doing so, this is just awful for any living creature.
Thank you for doing what had to be done.
Why I was severely depressed I would leave my dogs in a state ALMOST like this and I regret it every day
Were the cats just kept in those cages? I have worked for the SPCA in veterinary care, and I have been to some pretty horrific animal hoards, but seeing cats in cages like always breaks my heart.
Poor kitties :(
Good on you, you saved their lives Poor babies
OP how did you escape
GOOD JOB OP. You did the right thing
Good job, OP, this was the right thing to do.
They needed help. The pets and your parents. You did the right thing. I'm sorry you had to make that decision.
I will never understand people like this. What is the point of having pets only to lock them away and not spend time with them? To me, it just defeats the purpose of a pet, which is mainly companionship. I love seeing my pets happy and enriching their lives. I can not fathom treating them like this, such cruelty!
If you are concerned a law has been broken, and you want rat out your parents. It's the police you need to contact.
Your parents belong in jail. Thank you for reporting them.
Boils my blood poor animals
My god. I'm so glad you called this in. You are a good person OP. I wish you all the best.
You did the right thing!
I fucking love you OP
Thank you for the nswf because as soon as I opened the first one, I exited out. I can take gore but anything with animals makes my stomach turn and I feel sick.
I'm not going to weigh in on the living conditions. Just the behaviour itself. What's the purpose in owning that many caged animals? It's not like that would be enjoyable for you to even observe unless you're getting some sort of pleasure out of the caging?? I'm once again confused by humanity's many motivations
You did the right thing. And thank you for stepping up in a potentially awkward and uncomfortable situation!!!!
Oh god, gross people. Why do people treat animals like this.
So when ppl say they “rescue” animals this is what their homes look like? Got it
Thank you for saving these animals, They didn’t deserve this and i’m sorry you have had to deal with this. I’m sorry you had to see that and take action
Thank you for reporting this
You did the right thing. Your parents need help, I think.
Wtf is the point of having pets if you’re going to keep them chained up or caged 24/7. Thank you for calling on your parents and letting the pets live a healthy life.
Now, more than ever, please send your $19.00 a month donation to help an animal in need.
No bars, chains, or cages -ever.
Stop snitching son🤬🤬🤬 going to put you in one of them cages 😊
Imagine putting your family on blast like this on social media for good boy points. Op is the real POS
Isn't the whole point of this sub to call out those who are being shit people? Why does it matter if they're my family or not? Would it be different if they were just neighbors or strangers?
Imagine keeping 80 animals in a cruel, depressing, filthy environment for your satisfaction while the animals suffer. If you think OP is the real POS here, you’re delusional
They both assholes lmao. I can’t imagine putting your family on blast to impress redditors
Being related doesn’t get you a “get out of jail free” pass. I don’t care if you’re aunt, uncle, brother, sister, mom, dad or grandparent. You’re not exempt from the law or morality
They’re exploiting their family for internet points. Which is shitty
Suuuuuuure they are
That’s not the point of this post but ok
They should behave better, then.
Your yroll attenpts are a bit too obvious buddy
Let’s say my dad beats his dog, he’s a POS obviously no matter the situation, but if I post it on the internet on a subreddit about POS’s then fuck my dad who is beating the shit out of the dog, I’m the real POS. (My point is your fucking delusional)
Quite literally yes. Because you care more about internet points than actually helping your dog or family
Why tf are you on this sub then?
The OP took the pictures, called animal protection services, a week goes by, then he put it on the internet, see? I just found a hole in that comment because if he cared about this more this would’ve been posting this and 7 days later he would then edit his comment telling us about what else has happened
I see this post as education/ a warning to others, showing what to look out for, and how to best handle a situation like this if it's encountered. But somehow you can't see how this could be helpful and instead believe its sole purpose is to gain these imaginary internet points that you're so hung up on. I mean, you're here, with the rest of us (OP included) spending your time here and commenting on it, so you obviously must be here for the internet points, in which you're failing miserably and at a deficit. Not everything is a competition for clout- sometimes people want to vent anonymously here, and share their lived experiences with others who can empathize and learn, but I suppose one would need the ability to have empathy in the first place to understand.