The term "Compassion Fatigue" has been in the forefront a lot lately and has been applied to all sorts of situations. But many people don't know what it really is. To those of us in animal rescue, it's often used to describe what we feel due to the physical, mental and emotional exhaustion of the world of animal rescue. This is actually closer to the definition of "burn out", similar to working long hours at a stressful. thankless job with little to no compensation or control.
Compassion fatigue implies a loss of compassion for the suffering of others. Nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to animal rescuers. To arbitrarily apply the term to anyone involved in animal rescue is an insult. We may experience burn out, need a break or find another way to help, but the compassion is not lost!
I have lost something, the patience to deal with the people who put these animals in harms way, intentional or not, through action or inaction. In this day and age, with the vast amount of information literally available at everyone's fingertips, ignorance is no excuse. I will educate but I will not give a pass for poorly executed efforts, no matter what the excuse, especially when it endangers the lives of the animals I care for.
This is not compassion fatigue, which is the lack of compassion for the suffering ones, these people are not suffering, but the animals are.
I'm in it for the animals, so my compassion is right where it should be.
Compassion fatigue implies a loss of compassion for the suffering of others. Nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to animal rescuers. To arbitrarily apply the term to anyone involved in animal rescue is an insult. We may experience burn out, need a break or find another way to help, but the compassion is not lost!
I have lost something, the patience to deal with the people who put these animals in harms way, intentional or not, through action or inaction. In this day and age, with the vast amount of information literally available at everyone's fingertips, ignorance is no excuse. I will educate but I will not give a pass for poorly executed efforts, no matter what the excuse, especially when it endangers the lives of the animals I care for.
This is not compassion fatigue, which is the lack of compassion for the suffering ones, these people are not suffering, but the animals are.
I'm in it for the animals, so my compassion is right where it should be.
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