Someone said to me yesterday, that since I started the rescue I have a lot more anger. I do.
I knew we lived in a cruel world. I knew atrocities happened. But until I was deep in the rescue world, I never knew just how depraved a large portion of human beings are.
I'm not sure how one is supposed to process the devastating abuses and neglect that we see and hear about through rescue contacts.

I guess I would consider that I've always been a warrior for the little guy. Human or animal. Those who are hurt, abused, neglected, picked on, lonely... I always have fought for them. But until I started the rescue, I never knew just how many there really are.

If I feel as scarred by the animal neglect and abuse I've seen in these few short years, I can't imagine what a long term rescuer feels. Or what a person working with abused and neglected human beings feels.

I used to be a news junkie. I had news on day and night. It's been months since I watched it. I feel like it's too much to add to the burdens I already carry because of the cruelties I see daily.

No doubt rescue has changed me. I have good moments and bad ones. I can't even say good and bad days, because they really are moments.
You can be elated at a dog pulling through, or finding a great home and 5 minutes later you have a dog that is skin stretched over bones from starvation. Or a dog with healed fractures and fresh fractures from someone beating it. Then 2 hours later, another good story. A puppy that ate for the first time in days, a mom who delivered her pups safely. It is an endless cycle.

Add to this mix the people who want to adopt. There are good ones, and bad ones. Some are understanding and willing to work with you, some attack you, belittle you, or try to ruin your reputation. It wears on you.

And if you're like me, which I think most rescuers are... you feel what your fellow rescuers are going through too. You see a case they are dealing with and how crushed they are, and it hurts you too.
You see the triumphs they have and you are elated and celebrating for them.

I sit here and think to myself, does anyone outside of this rescue world really, truly know what it is like? And though I know they do, very often I feel alone in this battle.

What am I trying to say? I don't even know for sure. Maybe I just want to share what it is like to be a rescuer.
I don't consider myself special, I don't like to be praised for doing what I feel is moral and right. I am grateful for the support of course, but, and there is always a but... I wonder to myself why doing the right thing is considered so special. What has happened to we as human beings that doing the right thing is no longer just a common, every day thing? What has happened that allows so many to abuse, neglect, bully, devalue life???

So after all this pondering, I am no farther then I was before. I don't have the answers to any of this.
I am but a small cog in this machine. I can't do my part without others doing their part.

We as rescues and as human beings need to work together. We may not like everything about each other or the way someone does something. They may have a different approach then we would use. But if our goal is the same, we need to learn to overlook those things.
We, ALL of us, are a team. To those who are working together, despite differences, I would like to say thank you.