21/08/2026
Looking after animals full time is an emotionally stressful occupation, but that's part of the bargain of getting to experience the amazing rapport that we get to have with our animal family here - and we are completely accepting of that. But there are elements of this lifestyle that I don't think get talked about enough, in part because people don't want to hurt people's feelings.
Because our sanctuary is located at our home, maintaining a healthy balance between our work and private sanctuary space is absolutely vital.
We know that surrendering an animal is one of the most heartbreaking decisions a person can make. And getting involved in the rescue of an injured wild creature is emotional and inspiring in equal measures. It's completely natural to feel grief and worry or want to get involved further. Because of this, we frequently receive ongoing requests for updates, photos and progress reports from previous owners and members of the public.
While these messages come from a place of love and helpfulness, they can accidently create what rescue professionals call "reassurance loops". These continuous check-ins prevent the person from healing and moving forward after an animal comes into our care and every time we reply we know we are making the situation worse for them from a psychological point of view. Constantly trying to manage the expectations, anxieties and emotions of a past owner or member of the public while caring for all our animal residents can also get deeply stressful for us. We work right where we live, so that emotional exhaustion bleeds directly into our home life, leaving us with no true place to rest or disconnect.
There is a profound emotional weight carried in having to provide regular updates and photos. Having to schedule in time to capture reassuring moments on camera and carefully word status reports takes an immense amount of mental energy. We end up carrying the heavy burden of trying to soothe their guilt, trauma and anxiety while simultaneously trying to do the same for the animals in our care. It's just too many beings for us to care for.
This emotional toll becomes particularly heavy during difficult medical or behavioural situations. Navigating outside anxieties can unintentionally cloud our professional judgement. We need to be able to make rapid decisions based on what's best for an animal without worrying about how someone else is going to react or interpret those choices.
Most painfully, when an animal in our care reaches the end of their life or passes away, we are already carrying a profound amount of grief. Knowing a past owner or concerned member of the public will likely be in contact soon for an update adds an agonising layer of anticipation and emotional stress to an already devastating moment. Late night texts asking for reassurance over a bird fatally attacked by a pet cat, so a little girl will go to bed, are all too common.
Instead of being able to mourn peacefully in our own home and continue to support our other animal family members, we are left feeling overwhelmed be the weight of having to manage someone else's reaction to the loss.
We ask if you surrender an animal into our care, you find the emotional strength to fully gift them to their new future and trust us to handle their needs privately. We do often post updates and information on many animals in our care on our page, but most of the time it is our encounter animals rather than those that are rehabilitating or not going to be interacting with members of the public.
We understand and appreciate different people might need different lengths of time to adjust, but please just be mindful of our emotional workload.
I'm posting this not to be unkind (edit: or to “rant” as has been suggested already) or single anyone out, but to ensure our stress levels stay manageable and our home remains a place of peace. It isn’t unreasonable to ask. And we’re asking in a calm and logical manner, with the greatest of respect and care.
A positive contribution you can make is to send something the animals need, which we are always grateful for and shows you are thinking of us. I’ll post the link to our wishlist in the comments.
We thank you all for your understanding, trust and shared love of these amazing animals.
