To pursue a career in the animal welfare and rescue industry is so rewarding yet heart breaking. You help save and improve the lives of so many helpless animals that wouldn't have had a chance if you didn't step in and help. You deal with some of the best and worst people. You see animals neglected, pained, saddened, hurt, confused on a near daily basis. It can take a toll on the staff and volunteers. The weight of all the feelings can build up over time.
Realizing you can't save them all is a hard lesson to learn. Sometimes an animal is too sick, in too much pain, or too far gone behaviorally to save them. Sometimes euthanasia is the only true humane option in such cases. Sometimes you get people up in arms over euthanasia decisions. Sometimes you get up in arms over euthanasia decisions because you feel you could've done something more.
It can be so easy to get angry and upset at the people who give their pets up. Do they know how stressful the shelter environment is for their pet? If they couldn't care for the pet why did they get the pet? People do have legitimate reasons for giving their pets up, and it's important to understand that. The jerks don't make it any easier though. You have those who leave their pets in a parking lot in a carrier, abandon them in the home, leave them alone on the street. When you find these pets and hear these stories your heart breaks at how someone could do this to an innocent animal. Deep down you wish these people would get their karma coming around to them someday. It can be hard not to dwell on that but you have a duty to put that aside and give these abandoned pets as much love as you can while they are in your custody.
Being in a profession that requires empathy to do the job well allows you to have the tendency to keep all the emotions and drama to yourself. You feel as though you have to just keep working. It's just what you have to do so you can focus on providing for the animals.
But it's important to not keep everything to yourself. Bottling all of that up can lead to such an overwhelming amount emotions and exhaustion that can cause you to break down and start crying. It can cause you to become lonely, depressed and resentful. It can cause you to become angry at the situation and wonder if you're doing all that you can. That's a huge cross to bear. And keeping all of this to yourself does catch up with you someday. Someone will notice and then you have to come to terms with it.
You have to remember to take care of yourself, and your other fellow friends and coworkers in the field. You all know what it's like to work in animal welfare and experience compassion fatigue more than anyone else. Leaning on each other is so important. Supporting each other is so important. You all understand what it's like so use that to your advantage when you need to unleash some burdens. Don't forget about family too; family is forever. Regardless if their in the field or not most of the time they will at least sit down with you and listen. Remember, there's ALWAYS someone to talk to.
And remember not to feel bad if you need to take some time off for yourself. It's hard not to because then you worry about the animals and feel you should be there helping the crew. But remember you need to recharge once in a while to be able to take care of the animals as best as you can.
Remember it's rewarding and heartbreaking. Remember the true reasons why you're there doing this. The animals make it all worth it in the end. Lean on other people, and take care of yourself. ??????
