09/06/2026
Friends,
I got this message a few days ago from a researcher focused on mental health of animal care and rescue workers and volunteers. For years now suicides within the veterinary community have been recognized and rallied around. Unfortunately, left out were the hundreds of thousands of animal welfare volunteers and workers. I strongly encourage those of you involved to take the survey, share this to your own pages and / or copy and paste to your own pages and groups. It’s past time that the toll of animal welfare workers was articulated into words and studied through rigorous outreach by professionals. The world needs to understand the price we pay for caring.
Hello,
My name is Jamie McNally. I am a Veterinary Mental Health Professional and a researcher examining well-being in animal-related work.
My second IRB-approved cross-sector study on moral injury and well-being in animal-related work just opened and I am writing to ask whether you would be willing to share an invitation to this survey with the Secret Squirrel Wildlife Rehabilitation team or others in your network who may be eligible.
The research study focuses on the moral, emotional, and workplace experiences of people who currently work or volunteer, or previously worked or volunteered, in animal-related fields. It's one of the first to look across the full range of animal-related work rather than studying any single sector in isolation. Sectors include:
· Sheltering/rescue (domestic animals)
· Equine and farm animal rescue
· Veterinary medicine
· Companion-animal services (groomers, trainers, behaviorists, walkers/boarding)
· Breeders
· Animal control
· Laboratory/research
· Pet cremation and aftercare
· Conservation, wildlife rescue and rehabilitation
· Marine mammal health
· Food-system and production
· Animal search-and-rescue handlers and K-9 handlers
· Animal law, photojournalism, and investigation work
By including many sectors together, and reaching areas of animal-related work that have rarely been studied, the research can examine both what is shared across animal-related work and what is distinct to particular fields. Participants from under-studied areas are especially encouraged to take part, as voices from several of these sectors are rarely, if ever, represented in this research.
Some questions ask about difficult experiences and about mental health, and support resources are provided in the Informed Consent. Participation is entirely voluntary and takes about 15–25 minutes (with an optional second part of about 5-10 minutes), and participants may enter an optional drawing for one of ten $25 gift cards (a separate drawing for each part completed) as a thank-you.
Participants must be 18 or older, have currently or formerly worked or volunteered, paid or unpaid, in an animal-related role, and be able to complete the survey in English. This study is funded by Growing Kindness LTD. and is approved by Pearl IRB, Protocol #2026-0365. Questions may be directed to Jamie McNally, Ph.D., at [email protected].
If you are willing to help, you may share any information from this email along with the following link: https://www.fortifyucoaching.com/survey-access-gu
If you'd like a shorter ready-to-use message to share the following is also provided:
Research invitation: your experiences in animal-related work
Researcher Jamie McNally, Ph.D., LPC (Fortifyu) is studying the moral, emotional, and workplace experiences of people who work or volunteer with animals, across all sectors. If you are 18 or older and currently or formerly work or volunteer in an animal-related role (paid or unpaid) and can complete the survey in English, you are invited to take part in an IRB-approved survey of about 15–25 minutes, with an optional second part of about 5-10 minutes. The survey covers some difficult topics (including animal death and mental health); you may skip any question or stop at any time, and support resources are provided. Take the survey: https://www.fortifyucoaching.com/survey-access-gu
Voluntary and approved by Pearl IRB, Protocol #2026-0365. This study is funded by Growing Kindness LTD. Questions: [email protected]
Thank you for considering this request! I am happy to answer any questions you might have.
In it together for the love of all living beings,
Jamie McNally, PhD, LPC, VSW
Trauma Specialist | Moral Injury Researcher
Veterinary Mental Health Professional
Force-Free with Human and Non-Human Animals Alike
Extremely Human Animal Care
(248) 382-8027
www.fortifyucoaching.com
[email protected]
Instagram
THIS TOO IS RESCUE PODCAST
Fortifyu provides online training courses, workshops, retreats, and related services for wellness specific for those in animal care and animal protection and welfare.
