One Health

Teaching skills in grief accommodation and providing supportive group or individual consultation is important for animal-related workers. Many veterinarians, for instance, feel guilty or at fault when they lose patients. Animal shelter euthanasia technicians also struggle with feelings of guilt and grief because of the responsibilities of their jobs.

Stressful and traumatic experiences are high in veterinary medical and animal shelter environments. Moreover, the over population of endless unwanted animals becomes very stressful for animal shelter and rescue group workers. Therefore teaching stress management skills is extremely important for veterinary social workers to offer in caring for people who care for animals.

People who love and want to work with animals as their professional role often feel more affinity to animals than they do to people. This, in addition to chronic compassion fatigue, can contribute to high conflict and low conflict management skills in these settings. Therefore, the role of the veterinary social worker as mediator is extremely important in caring for people who care for animals. Discussions regarding the proper care of animals can quickly become contentious as people begin to judge others in not knowing the right way to treat animals.

Since social work is a HUMAN profession, veterinary social workers must put aside their own opinions about the proper use of animals, and instead be a neutral non-anxious presence, helping arguing parties come to consensus for common ground and work. This is probably one of the most important and society changing roles of veterinary social work."

Please share any thoughts or questions you may have about Intentional Well-being or how Intentional Well-being can be incorporated into home/work life.

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Kayla Anderson
Veterinary Social Worker
Program for Pet Health Equity
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Compassion fatigue is something we talk about a lot when it comes to veterinarians, shelter workers, and rescuers-the people on the front lines who see the suffering every day. But there's another side to it that doesn't get nearly enough attention: the exhaustion, heartbreak, and sheer mental and emotional toll on pet owners who are doing everything they can but still struggling to give their pets the care they deserve.

As co-founder of an animal welfare outreach organization, I see this every single day. I see the love, the devotion, and the deep sense of responsibility pet owners feel. I also see the sleepless nights, the impossible choices, and the overwhelming guilt that comes with not being able to afford care, not knowing where to turn, and feeling like no matter how hard they try, it's just not enough. People are skipping meals to feed their pets, rationing medication, and stretching every last dollar, all while carrying the fear that they might lose the one companion who has been there for them through everything.

We do our best. We fight for these families because we know how much these pets mean to them. But no matter how much we do, it's never enough-not when the system itself is broken. No pet should suffer because their owner doesn't have money, and no pet owner should have to carry the crushing weight of worry and guilt just for trying to do right by the animal they love. We need change-real, systemic change that makes vet care accessible and affordable, that recognizes pets as family, not a privilege only for those who can afford it. Until then, we'll keep showing up, because love shouldn't come with a price tag, and no one should have to face this struggle alone.

Teaching skills in grief accommodation and providing supportive group or individual consultation is important for animal-related workers. Many veterinarians, for instance, feel guilty or at fault when they lose patients. Animal shelter euthanasia technicians also struggle with feelings of guilt and grief because of the responsibilities of their jobs.

Stressful and traumatic experiences are high in veterinary medical and animal shelter environments. Moreover, the over population of endless unwanted animals becomes very stressful for animal shelter and rescue group workers. Therefore teaching stress management skills is extremely important for veterinary social workers to offer in caring for people who care for animals.

People who love and want to work with animals as their professional role often feel more affinity to animals than they do to people. This, in addition to chronic compassion fatigue, can contribute to high conflict and low conflict management skills in these settings. Therefore, the role of the veterinary social worker as mediator is extremely important in caring for people who care for animals. Discussions regarding the proper care of animals can quickly become contentious as people begin to judge others in not knowing the right way to treat animals.

Since social work is a HUMAN profession, veterinary social workers must put aside their own opinions about the proper use of animals, and instead be a neutral non-anxious presence, helping arguing parties come to consensus for common ground and work. This is probably one of the most important and society changing roles of veterinary social work."

Please share any thoughts or questions you may have about Intentional Well-being or how Intentional Well-being can be incorporated into home/work life.

------------------------------
Kayla Anderson
Veterinary Social Worker
Program for Pet Health Equity
------------------------------

Genie, thank you very much for providing such a thorough and fervent response to this topic. You have perfectly illustrated the anguish and compassion that pet parents have for their loved ones in this fight to get them the help that they deserve. I adore your statement, "love shouldn't come with a price tag," as I feel that it really encapsulates that future we are all working towards. Thank you for all that you do to further this mission.

Compassion fatigue is something we talk about a lot when it comes to veterinarians, shelter workers, and rescuers-the people on the front lines who see the suffering every day. But there's another side to it that doesn't get nearly enough attention: the exhaustion, heartbreak, and sheer mental and emotional toll on pet owners who are doing everything they can but still struggling to give their pets the care they deserve.

As co-founder of an animal welfare outreach organization, I see this every single day. I see the love, the devotion, and the deep sense of responsibility pet owners feel. I also see the sleepless nights, the impossible choices, and the overwhelming guilt that comes with not being able to afford care, not knowing where to turn, and feeling like no matter how hard they try, it's just not enough. People are skipping meals to feed their pets, rationing medication, and stretching every last dollar, all while carrying the fear that they might lose the one companion who has been there for them through everything.

We do our best. We fight for these families because we know how much these pets mean to them. But no matter how much we do, it's never enough-not when the system itself is broken. No pet should suffer because their owner doesn't have money, and no pet owner should have to carry the crushing weight of worry and guilt just for trying to do right by the animal they love. We need change-real, systemic change that makes vet care accessible and affordable, that recognizes pets as family, not a privilege only for those who can afford it. Until then, we'll keep showing up, because love shouldn't come with a price tag, and no one should have to face this struggle alone.

Teaching skills in grief accommodation and providing supportive group or individual consultation is important for animal-related workers. Many veterinarians, for instance, feel guilty or at fault when they lose patients. Animal shelter euthanasia technicians also struggle with feelings of guilt and grief because of the responsibilities of their jobs.

Stressful and traumatic experiences are high in veterinary medical and animal shelter environments. Moreover, the over population of endless unwanted animals becomes very stressful for animal shelter and rescue group workers. Therefore teaching stress management skills is extremely important for veterinary social workers to offer in caring for people who care for animals.

People who love and want to work with animals as their professional role often feel more affinity to animals than they do to people. This, in addition to chronic compassion fatigue, can contribute to high conflict and low conflict management skills in these settings. Therefore, the role of the veterinary social worker as mediator is extremely important in caring for people who care for animals. Discussions regarding the proper care of animals can quickly become contentious as people begin to judge others in not knowing the right way to treat animals.

Since social work is a HUMAN profession, veterinary social workers must put aside their own opinions about the proper use of animals, and instead be a neutral non-anxious presence, helping arguing parties come to consensus for common ground and work. This is probably one of the most important and society changing roles of veterinary social work."

Please share any thoughts or questions you may have about Intentional Well-being or how Intentional Well-being can be incorporated into home/work life.

------------------------------
Kayla Anderson
Veterinary Social Worker
Program for Pet Health Equity
------------------------------