People working in animal welfare, rescue, and veterinary settings frequently experience compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout that affect their wellbeing and effectiveness.
Compassion fatigue in animal welfare workers is both a human welfare concern and an animal welfare concern: exhausted, traumatised workers are less effective advocates and caregivers. The exposure to animal suffering, euthanasia decisions, and resource constraints creates a unique occupational stress burden. Organisations that support staff wellbeing retain skilled workers and maintain higher welfare standards. This is a topic that deserves greater priority in animal welfare sector workforce planning.