Animal Welfare Professionals

 View Only

  • 1.  Support after an animal bite

    Posted 12-29-2024 08:22 AM

    I have a wonderful employee who has unfortunately had a handful of negative experiences with dogs as of late.  I have found that she is really struggling emotionally with these incidents and it has her pretty shook, to the point of potentially removing herself from animal welfare. 

    My question is whether anyone has any resources for animal professionals to seek community/aid in times of "PTSD" stress after animal interactions/incidents. I have compassion fatigue resources coming out of my eyeballs but being injured or threatened by an animal is not something I readily have a resource for. 

    Other information:

    • Only one incident resulted in a bite; did not require medical attention but could have been much worse given the size of the employee and size of the dog.
    • We do have an employee assistance program which has been provided to the employee and she was encouraged to sue it for this purpose, or otherwise. 
    • Compassion fatigue resources have been provided.
    • Defensive Dog Handling class is scheduled for January. 
    • All employees are given training and resources for reading body language, facial cues, etc. 
    • We have discussed options of moving her out of dog care and into other areas. 

    #Conferences,WorkshopsandWebcasts

    ------------------------------
    Sarah Schertel
    Training and Behavior Specialist
    Little Traverse Bay Humane Society
    MI
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Support after an animal bite

    Posted 12-30-2024 10:37 AM

    I have dealt with these issues over the past several years with employees and volunteers. Everyone handles stress differently and recovers in their own way. 

    I think the resources you listed are a good start. If your employee does use an EAP, make sure to have the employee ask for a First Responder type of assistance. Normal EAP will not be able to adequately handle the kind of trauma we experience in animal welfare. 

    Even though the incident did not result in severe injuries, the mental stress can build up and take its toll. It turns from stress into PTSD. The materials you have for compassion fatigue should help the employee with starting to recover. If the employee is not able or willing to contact EAP on their own, you may need to step in and set it up with them. Even if the employee does leave, the trauma will not always subside on its own and they will still need to seek treatment. 



    ------------------------------
    Andres Alvarado
    Dog Behaviorist
    Pet Resource Center
    FL
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Support after an animal bite

    Posted 12-30-2024 12:14 PM

    I'm so sorry to hear about your employee's struggles. Having worked with reactive and undersocialized dogs, including a large undersocialized deaf pit bull as well as a deaf and blind Australian cattle dog found wandering the streets, I completely understand how incidents like these can shake someone's confidence and even lead them to question their place in animal welfare. I've had similar experiences that made me pause and reflect, even after many years in the field.

    It's great to see that you're already offering substantial support, such as the employee assistance program, compassion fatigue resources, and defensive handling training. While these are essential, there might be a few additional steps or resources worth exploring:

    1. Trauma-Specific Counseling: Beyond general EAP resources, seeking a therapist who specializes in trauma/PTSD could be transformative. Trauma-Informed Therapy is particularly effective in helping individuals process and recover from such incidents.

    2. Peer Support Groups: Joining a group for animal welfare professionals who've faced similar challenges can provide camaraderie and validation. Organizations like the ASPCA Pro or Maddie's Pet Forum host spaces for open discussions and mutual support.

    3. Personal Empowerment in Handling: Encouraging the employee to participate in additional hands-on workshops, such as Karen Pryor's Clicker Training or Fear-Free certification, could rebuild her confidence and give her new tools to approach challenging dogs.

    4. Modified Work Roles: Transitioning her temporarily to other tasks, like adoption counseling or community outreach, might help her heal without stepping away from animal welfare entirely. It could also serve as a reminder of the impact she can make in other capacities.

    5. Post-Incident Debriefing Protocols: Establishing a culture of debriefing after traumatic events allows for shared learning and emotional processing. For example, creating a safe space to discuss what happened, what worked, and what might help in the future can reduce feelings of isolation or failure.

    Additionally, I'd suggest these resources:

    • The Shelter Playgroup Alliance offers tips on safe dog interactions and managing stress related to reactive animals.
    • Dr. Sophia Yin's Low-Stress Handling Techniques: Practical advice on reducing animal reactivity and handler risk.
    • Pet Pro Hero: Online courses on pet safety, behavior, and handling.

    The passion and dedication it takes to work in animal welfare are immense, and it would be such a loss for this field if someone with her compassion left because of these experiences. I hope she knows she's not alone and that there's a community rooting for her to succeed and heal.

    I'd love to hear others' thoughts or any additional resources they've found helpful!



    ------------------------------
    Debbie (Hogan) Johnson
    [Former Animal Care Associate]
    Newark, Ca
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


Related Content