|
Mary Connolly, ACHS Exec. Dir.
Last weekend I was lucky enough to attend an inspiring educational experience: the Midwest Veterinary Conference in Columbus. I went there with the team from Athens Veterinary Clinic and pre-veterinary students from Ohio University. The sessions were wide-ranging, covering medical conditions, surgical techniques, and behavior.
We were all grateful for this opportunity to learn, reflect, and strengthen not just our clinical skills, but our resilience and hope.
The sessions I attended were focused on the emotional experience of working in animal welfare—managing compassion fatigue, navigating the emotional weight of this work, and preparing for disaster relief response.
A central theme of these sessions to share with ACHS Volunteers and everyone in this sort of work: the way we frame the stories of the people and animals we serve directly impacts our mental health as animal welfare professionals. The words we use, the narratives we repeat, and the assumptions we make shape not only public perception, but our own well-being.
Here’s my favorite quote from the weekend:
“Believing people are fundamentally bad erodes hope.”
Hope is the lifeblood of animal welfare work. Hope fuels our ability to show up every day for animals and the humans who love them.
The weekend sessions were led by the Executive Director of SPARC, an organization dedicated to helping animal welfare professionals thoughtfully engage with the constant flow of emotionally charged content that fills our news feeds and inboxes. As they share on their website, stories about pets and people are everywhere. They influence how we think and feel, and shape what we believe to be right and true.
If you’re interested in learning more about their work and approach, visit sparcinsight.org.
| 
