The Dangers Of Compassion Fatigue In Animal Caregivers

Taiwanese animal shelter director and vet commits suicide due to guilt in having to euthanise 700 dogs in shelter: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/peoplesdaily/article-3604719/Director-Taiwanese-animal-shelter-commits-suicide-feeling-distraught-having-euthanise-dogs.html

According to Chinese media, she left a note, explaining how she had become too distressed with the fact that she had to put too many dogs to death.

However, Jian’s last words have not been published in full.

Jian, who is reported to be 31 years old, worked at the state-run shelter for some years and was described as a kind-hearted and dedicated person by her colleagues.

She worked helping bring sick and stray animals back to health before helping find them a new home.

According to reports, she strived to help re-home the dogs and also tried to promote adoption instead of purchasing however she later revealed that she had been forced to euthanise 700 dogs in just two years.

She spoke of these figures during a news report in which animal rights activists called her a ‘female butcher’ in the comments section of the story.

Chinese media has reported that she became upset with the name-calling as many people did not understand that the animal shelter capacity is limited and they were struggling with increasing numbers of animals being abandoned.

She was put under pressure to provide a resolution.

Jian was found by police and her husband after having injected herself with the euthanasia drugs. She died in hospital a week later on May 12.

Elisa Allen, Associate Director of PETA told MailOnline: ‘The reality is that there are simply not enough homes to go around for the millions of unwanted animals who are euthanised every year.

‘It’s left to shelter workers like Jian Zhicheng, who love animals so much, to do society’s dirty work because so many people fail to do the one thing that could alleviate the animal overpopulation crisis: spaying and neutering animals.

Please, if you are an animal caregiver, please get the animals under your care neutered. We offer our neutering aid: myanimalcare.org/aid/.

About compassion fatigue among animal caregivers and workers: http://barkpost.com/compassion-fatigue-animal-workers/

Depression and suicide in animal caregiving professions: http://jessicadolce.com/depression-suicide-animal-care-professions/

To all animal caregivers, please take good care of yourself so that you can continue taking care of the animals under your care. Just do your best, and please do take a rest too.

Source: https://myanimalcare.org/2016/05/25/the-dangers-of-compassio..

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AnimalCare is a registered society that promotes caregiving to street animals and helps in their neutering and medical needs. AnimalCare has a Medical Fund, Food Fund and Education Fund.

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