More than one way to save a life...

Animal welfare can be a tricky business. It is powered by thousands of individuals, each with their reasons and motivations. Some of us took on this work because we saw suffering and couldn’t stand to let it continue; others joined up because a traditional career just wasn’t in the cards for them. Still, others wound up passionately caring for pets and people after a series of seemingly random and unrelated life events led them to the doors of a humane society (me). However, we ended up here; those who have stuck with us have done so because we feel strongly about the importance of what we do.

Because Animal Welfare is filled with passionate people fighting a literal life-saving battle, it is almost instinctual for us to build silos, demand lockstep obedience from those around us, and dismiss those with even slight differences in thought. This thinking is present on all sides and at all levels of our industry, and I am no different; even with self-awareness, I sometimes find myself up on a high horse dismissing others who are just trying to save lives.

The number one killer of homeless pets is not phenobarbital. It is ego. It is the ego of legacy agency administrators who refuse to work with rescues because somebody’s feelings were hurt, ?it is the ego of passionate rescuers who refuse to consider adopting locally because “there are no good homes left”, It is the ego of transport partners who want only “easy” dogs because they help their numbers. All these people have good reasons why they started doing things, but their ego prevents them from acknowledging that there may be a better way.

The dream of a new normal, where animal homelessness is rare and space-related euthanasia eliminated, is achievable. We are closer now than ever before, and however, we will never get there if we continue to trip each other up. Nothing says you must agree with someone 100% to do great work with them. There are rescues in my area whose rhetoric and public statements I don’t necessarily agree with. However, I cannot deny the vital, life-saving work they are doing with expertise and efficiency.

For 2022 I am resolving to do better. I am committing to regularly self-checking my ego. I am committing to being ok with being wrong and being open to ideas I’ve previously dismissed. I am committing myself to acknowledging the success of those with whom I may disagree. This year I am committing to reaching outside my comfort zone and building relationships I have previously ignored. We need creative solutions, and those solutions will require all of us, nationals, governmental, legacy, and rescues, to work together. If we get out of our own way, we can save them all.