18/08/2025
Hey, if you're thinking about getting into animal rescue, listen up: this journey ain't just about love for animals 🐾 — you 'gotta build armor, not just for the hard work, but for the people too.
It takes more than just compassion. You need resilience and a damn strong reminder every day why you started this. Because trust me, the world will test you 👩⚖️.
Yeah, people will cheer when you post those happy rescue stories 🕺💃. But the minute you say no — your rescue is full, funds are tight, or your team is wiped out — those same folks? They'll throw shade and criticize you 🌪️.
They'll forget all the animals you saved 🐶🐕🦮🐕🦺 and zero in on the one you couldn’t take. Don’t let that poison your heart 💔.
And some will love your care, your kindness, your process… until they want to surrender a pet. Then the moment you ask questions or try to help, suddenly you’re the bad guy.
Welcome to the job.
You’ll lose friends over this. Some won’t get why you fight for animal rights 🐕🦺. Others will be cold when you’re exhausted and emotional after spending a night with a dying rescue 😭😔😭.
Let those people go.
Expect calls every damn hour 📞, messages at 2am 🕑, demands for your time 24/7 ⏰ and when you finally take a breath, they say you don’t care, that you’re fake and more commonly? ... your Rescue is full of 💩. Yeah, that stings 🥀, but keep breathing anyway.
Some rescuers will throw shade too, criticize your methods — even if they've never stepped inside your rescue. A few will help, many just talk. Focus on your work, block the noise 🔇.
You’ll witness cruelty that haunts you forever. Sometimes, no matter how fast you get there or what you do, you’ll lose the animal 🕊️.
Those lonely nights crying in silence? No one will see that pain 😪.
But you’ll push through.
Because despite all the judgment, the burnout, the losses, your work matters. Every life saved is a reason to keep fighting 🦴❤️.
Rescue is uncontrollably & undeniably brutal, beautiful, heartbreaking, toxic and unforgiving. But if your reasons are "true", you’ll find strength in that heartbreak and purpose in the pain.
Just don’t lose yourself along the way 💪.
- Author.
👉November 2025 will mark 5yrs in the game! Where did time go.... I thank God for the wall of angels surrounding my Rescue & the Team of Supporters.
