I recently attended an all staff meeting at the shelter I now work for. It has been a while since I’ve been part of a group like that. When I left my animal welfare job behind last year and moved to a new state, I wasn’t sure I would ever be part of that world again. Listening to coworkers report about a recent conference brought back those old feelings of something bigger than myself. The feeling of being part of a group of humans that dedicate their lives to animals, saving what they can and being a voice for them that the rest of the world often doesn’t hear. When one of the animal control officers spoke about new ideas and techniques he had learned and planned to implement at the shelter, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic. I know exactly how it feels to be so full of energy and passion for the job and I found myself desiring to be back in that position. These are my people, this is my comfort zone. This is what I know and what feels right.
I currently hold the position of cat adoption liaison at the shelter. It is a part time position and has me helping out in almost all other departments within the shelter as well. I love it because of the flexibility, and the fact that every day is different, and that I am involved in so many various tasks. To be honest though I do miss being an animal control officer sometimes. Wearing that badge and being the one to respond somewhere and possibly being the savior that day. Being the difference between a good day and a bad day for an animal. On my own, figuring things out with the knowledge and guts I have. Responding to a police scene, capturing that impossible dog, securing charges for abuse. But that’s the downside of it all. That is what burned me out… the human part. The fact that the majority of that job is dealing with the public. Confronting volatile individuals, usually on their turf, and addressing endless petty neighbor disputes that somehow become your problem whether you care or not. That part of the job has so far kept me from jumping back into the deep end head first. I’ve been there, done that.
Can I really do it all again?
A few years ago I had a hard time. A really hard time. With work, with life, with things out of my control. In the spring of 2022 we lost our Lira girl. The sweet German Shepherd female that has found her home with us after I adopted her from the shelter. A few months later I lost my heart dog. My Rooster. My everything. My life was without color for so long. I wasn’t sure how to keep going after losing a piece of my heart that can never be replaced. My desire to go to work and keep dealing with animal welfare was fading. I applied for a position with the Health Department thinking a change would be the way out. After several interviews I did not obtain the position and was doubting myself, my self worth, my calling, my life, my existence. It sounds dramatic, but it happened quickly, and I was spiraling. I did seek help and attended several counseling sessions with a therapist available to me through the county. Something I have not shared with anyone until now. I sat, and talked, and cried.
I kept going for the time being. I told myself that job security was the best option and tried so very hard to find that spark again. The piece that got me hooked on animal welfare to begin with. Every once in a while I had a call where I genuinely made a difference, saved an animal, conquered something great, and got that little rush of the job back. But mostly I learned to check out when I left work. I used to bring it home… I didn’t anymore. I separated my home life and work life as much as I could.
I coasted for a bit until January 2025 saw me fall and break my foot at work. Suddenly life had to change. Suddenly I had time to think and for the first time in 17 years realize what time without constant work felt like. I didn’t like that either. As much as I complained about work, stuck at home with a cast on my foot made me miss that miserable job just a little more every day.
The rest of 2025 was a blur as Jon and I decided to change course and give up everything in Michigan to move to Florida. I arrived with no job. Found one I thought I wanted, and then quickly realized I am not cut out for the office world. So I find myself now with this incredible, but very part time gig back in animal welfare. A job that has brough so much light and joy into my life these past few months. It made me realize that no matter where I move, and what other jobs I apply for, the animal world is in my DNA and where I belong.
Now I am faced with the decision of taking it one step further. Going back on the road. Going back into the field where I lived and thrived for so long, but where I also lost myself. Is it different this time around? Am I stronger this time? Can I apply the parts that I have learned to shield myself from a burn out? Separate the work and home life? Emotional masochism at its finest.
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