Compassion Fatigue: When Caring Comes at a Cost
If you’ve been involved in animal welfare or advocacy for a while, you may have noticed that stories that once brought you to tears or left you with a pit in your stomach barely seem to affect you anymore. Instead, you feel...numb. Maybe that scares you. Maybe it makes you feel guilty. Or maybe you’ve convinced yourself that having “thick skin” is just part of the job.
If this sounds like you, you might assume you are simply “burnt out” or need a vacation. However, you may actually be experiencing something called compassion fatigue.
What Is Compassion Fatigue?
Charles Figley, a renowned traumatologist who first developed the concept, defined compassion fatigue as:
“the deep physical, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion that can result from working day to day in an intense caregiving environment.”
He describes it as a form of secondary traumatic stress, meaning it is a type of PTSD that doesn’t come from experiencing trauma directly, but rather from repeatedly being exposed to the suffering of others. Because of this, it’s often seen in what are called “helping professions,” like doctors, nurses, first responders, social workers, and, of course, people working in animal welfare and advocacy.
It’s important to note that compassion fatigue isn’t limited only to people working directly with animals. Even just regularly being exposed to animal suffering through social media or advocacy can build up over time and lead to emotional exhaustion or numbness.
Whether you’re experiencing emotional trauma as a part of your job or by staying up-to-date on animal welfare topics in your personal time, the symptoms of compassion fatigue can show up in various ways.
Symptoms
Common symptoms may include:
Emotional Numbness: Distressing stories or situations may not carry the same emotional weight as they used to.
Fatigue and Exhaustion: No matter how much rest you get, you still feel tired.
Feelings of Helplessness: You feel like nothing you do truly makes a meaningful difference.
Loss of Interest in Activities: Hobbies you used to enjoy no longer spark the same happiness.
Irritability or anger: You have become more impatient with coworkers, adopters, pet owners, or even loved ones.
Cynicism: You have developed a negative outlook or assume the worst about people and their intentions.
Difficulty concentrating: You may forget tasks, make simple mistakes, or struggle to stay focused.
Anxiety: You find yourself constantly worrying about the animals in your care even outside of work.
Sleep changes: You may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or experience nightmares.
Loss of job satisfaction: You no longer feel fulfilled by work that once gave you a sense of purpose. You may dread going to work and call out more frequently than you used to.
Intrusive thoughts: Upsetting cases or distressing images may continue replaying in your head long after the event.
Changes in appetite: You find yourself eating significantly more or less than usual.
While it’s normal to experience a few of these symptoms from time to time, when they begin to affect your daily life or become pervasive, it’s important to seek help. For a list of mental health resources, click here.
Common Progression
Similar to the stages of grief, compassion fatigue often follows a common pattern of progression. While each person’s experience is unique and personal, many people in the animal welfare space describe going through a variation of the following 4 stages:
“Zealot” Phase: When you first begin working in animal welfare or advocacy, you’re full of passion and optimism. Because you’re eager to help as many animals as possible, you may willingly work long hours and immerse yourself in the mission. Even when the work is physically and emotionally difficult, it feels meaningful.
Withdrawal Phase: Over time, the realities of animal welfare begin to take their toll on you. The overwhelming number of animals in need, heartbreaking cases, limited resources, and difficult decisions become emotionally draining. Your enthusiasm starts to fade, and exhaustion and frustration begin to take its place.
Irritability Phase: Small setbacks start to feel overwhelming and you may notice you become irritated or angry with coworkers and the public more quickly than you used to. You begin to feel pessimistic and bitter, particularly toward “irresponsible” pet owners or the systems that fail to prevent animal suffering.
“Zombie” Phase: In the final stage, emotional exhaustion can turn into numbness and detachment. The empathy and passion you once felt for the cause is replaced with resentment, hopelessness, or complete emotional shutdown. Without support, some people leave the field altogether, while others bear the weight of significant anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges.
Not everyone will experience every stage, and many people move back and forth between them. Recognizing these patterns early is important, because compassion fatigue is treatable, and seeking support can help prevent it from becoming overwhelming. For a list of mental health resources, click here.
Prevention
While compassion fatigue is all too common in animal welfare, there are steps you can take to reduce its impact. Remember, caring for yourself isn’t selfish. It’s essential to furthering your mission of helping animals long-term.
Some strategies that can help include:
Set healthy boundaries and take breaks. If a situation is particularly distressing for you, try to step away to regroup. Taking a walk or grabbing lunch with a coworker can help you reset before returning to the task. And remember that PTO is not a bad word! Use your time off to relax, and come back to work refreshed and reenergized for the mission!
Prioritize your needs. Do your best to get enough sleep, eat healthy, exercise, and stay hydrated. This is easier said than done, of course, but any small act of self care is a step in the right direction.
Stay connected. Lean on your coworkers, friends, family, or peer support groups (such as Lifeboat by NOMV) who understand what you’re experiencing.
Make time for activities you enjoy. Hobbies and activities outside of animal welfare can give you an outlet to emotionally reset. This can be as simple as planning regular date nights with your partner, setting aside quiet time to read a book, or starting a weekly movie night with friends.
Limit exposure to distressing content. If you’re off the clock, it’s important to take a break from social media that includes graphic animal cruelty topics. It may be helpful to have separate social media accounts for personal use vs advocacy. This way you can take a break from distressing content while still connecting with friends and family online.
Celebrate small wins. Focus on the animals you’ve helped rather than only those you couldn’t save. For example, if you work at an animal shelter or rescue, keep a folder on your phone or computer dedicated to post-adopt updates and success stories.
Ask for help. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, reach out to a supervisor, mentor, mental health professional, or your healthcare provider as soon as possible. Don’t wait until you are in crisis. For a list of mental health resources, click here.
Remember, you don’t have to carry this weight alone. Taking care of your own well-being does not mean you are weak or selfish. It’s what allows you to continue being there for the animals who need you.
When to Step Back
If you feel that the work you are doing is harming your mental health or causing you significant distress, it’s okay to walk away.
This doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’ve made massive sacrifices to help animals in need, and now it’s time to show yourself the same compassion.
If you decide to step back from direct animal care or advocacy, but still want to help animals in some way, here are a few ideas:
Donate to organizations that are working towards the causes you are passionate about.
Volunteer your time and skills doing less emotional work for animal welfare organizations. Do you have experience with web design, accounting, writing, data management, IT, facilities maintenance, etc? Reach out to offer your services! You can also keep an eye out for volunteer job postings on sites such as the ones listed below:
Conclusion
If you believe you’re experiencing compassion fatigue, know that you are not alone. Many people who dedicate their lives to helping animals experience the emotional weight of witnessing suffering day after day. Feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or discouraged doesn’t mean you’ve failed.
The compassion that drew you to this work is one of your greatest strengths, but even the strongest people need support. By recognizing the signs of compassion fatigue early, setting healthy boundaries, and making your own well-being a priority, you can continue making a meaningful difference for animals without sacrificing yourself in the process.
You can’t save every animal, but the animals you’ve helped matter. The kindness you’ve shown, the lives you’ve changed, and the compassion you’ve given have made a difference. Remember that taking care of yourself doesn’t come at the expense of the animals you help. On the contrary, it’s actually one of the most important ways to ensure you can keep helping them for years to come.
Have you experienced compassion fatigue while working with or advocating for animals? I'd love to hear your story in the comments. Sharing our experiences can help remind others that they don't have to face this alone.
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US & Canada): Call or Text 988
International: Click here
Sources
Compassion fatigue as secondary traumatic stress disorder by Charles Figley
Compassion Fatigue in the Animal Welfare Community by Charles Figley