"That which is to give light … Suicide among animal welfare workers – Valencia County News Bulletin

In 2009, a co-worker of mine at the animal shelter where I worked took her own life. She was a kind, smart and a compassionate young woman with aspirations of becoming a veterinarian.

In this country, at least 47,000 people a year die from suicide. Thats one every two hours. It may surprise you to know that among the general population, veterinarians are nearly four times more likely to die from suicide.

If those of us working or volunteering in animal health and welfare find that number disturbing but not overly surprising, theres a reason for that. According to the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the suicide rate for animal welfare workers is also higher than the national average: 5.3 per million compared to 1.5 per million for the general population (the same as police officers and firefighters).

The reasons are many. For one, most people in helping professions are driven by empathy the ability to resonate with the suffering of another, and compassion the desire to do something to alleviate that suffering. But in this field, the work load never ceases, and its hard to feel youve alleviated suffering when that suffering never ends.

Couple that with low pay, lack of support (financial and otherwise) from government entities that hold the cards but dont truly know the game, public perception as bleeding hearts or puppy killers, lack of investment by communities in solving animal welfare issues (such as overpopulation, breeding, neglect, etc.)

Long work hours, lack of proper nutrition and lack of rest tax us physically, mentally and emotionally. Ineffective laws and lack of legal follow through devalue the work of ACOs who attempt to bring animal abusers to justice. Add to that a hefty load of guilt for not being able to do enough, then being blamed and chastised for things that are out of your control.

We start out with a dream, maybe even a calling to do this work. We prepare ourselves, go to school, land the job. Then were ready to take on the world and make it better!

In their book, Compassion Fatigue in the Animal Care Community (HSUS Press, 2006) Charles Figley and Robert Roop call that the first phases of being a helper. The third phase is losing our breath. And thats just how it feels. We realize what were truly up against and it takes our breath away, so fast and furious that its hard to catch it again.

But if that which is to give light, must endure burning (author unknown) is true, going down in a ball of flame is surely not the goal. Rather, we find that in the last two phases: desperately seeking our rhythm and ultimately, finding it.

This is where we decide to persevere. We find out what our gifts are, our strengths are and our skills. We pay homage to the enormity of the challenges, but also, and most importantly, we learn to value the work we do as part of the bigger picture.

After two mental health workers took their lives last week in our nation, Stacey Freedenthal, a therapist who attempted suicide early in life stated, When something like this happens, it humbles me that were up against something really big ... Indeed we are.

Take care of yourselves and each other, and dont be afraid to reach out.

For help, contact the NMDOH Warmline at 1-855-466-7100; National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

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"That which is to give light ... Suicide among animal welfare workers - Valencia County News Bulletin