Inside Animal Hoarding: The Case of Barbara Erickson and Her 522 Dogs

Inside Animal Hoarding profiles one of the largest and most intriguing cases of animal hoarding in recent history. Celeste Killeen's investigation pries open the door to Barbara Erickson's hidden and closely guarded life, offering an in-depth view of animal hoarding. The chaos and torment discovered by local officials who'd responded to a ramshackle farmhouse in eastern Oregon was described as otherworldly, unbelievable. But, it was only the sad ending to a lifelong story of betrayal, abuse and abandonment. This in-depth look at how animal hoarding developed in one woman's life offers the rich detail and context so important in understanding how to recognize and respond to it and maybe even prevent it. Dr. Arnold Arluke's discussion follows the Erickson story with current research on animal hoarding and how it ties into the Erickson case. Drawing from his background in sociology and extensive study of the humanimal relationship, Arluke offers further insight about animal hoarders, how they see themselves, how society deals with them, and why people find them so perplexing. This integration of investigative journalism and scholarship offers a fresh approach with appeal to a broad audience of readers, those new to learning about the phenomenon, and those with first-hand experience in the animal welfare field.

Arnold Arluke, a professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Northeastern University and a senior research fellow at the Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy, is the co-author of Regarding Animals that won Charles Horton Cooley Book Award, Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction (1997). He is also the associate editor of Society and Animals, and co-editor of Temple University's series in Animals, Culture and History. Celeste Killeen works as a Family Preservation Specialist for a small social services company in Boise, Idaho. She holds a BS degree in psychology and a curiosity about the humanimal bond.