Most people agree that animal hoarding is a serious issue, not only for the health and well-being of the animals, but also from a public health perspective for the community. The multi-faceted issues in a hoarding case, such as the mental health ramifications and the recidivism rate, make these situations difficult to handle and resolve. But one of the hidden and often forgotten issues is caring for all the animals once saved from a hoarding situation. Many people are relieved when they hear that animals from a hoarding environment are safe. But then what? What becomes of those animals if they are healthy and adoptable? This scenario is playing out at The Humane Society of Weld County in Evans, Colorado which is dealing with its third hoarding case this year. They recently received 107 cats from a hoarding situation and caring for the cats is expensive. “It costs about $400 to care for one cat at the Humane Society over a 5-day period, especially for cats in need of constant medical care,” according to Elaine Hicks. The shelter is going through 600 pounds of kitty litter a day. It truly takes a community to step-up and help out when a hoarding situation has been discovered. So let’s not forget that once the animals are in a safe location and getting the medical care they need, that’s just the beginning of the journey for them.