Hug A Rescuer..

I know this is a strange title but this email was shared with me today and I cannot stress too much how difficult an emotional job this is.. Read On..



Yesterday I got the most devastating news. Someone that I had not known a long time but had so much respect for, took his life. He was an incredible animal rescuer, very passionate about helping any and all animals in need.

I had just met him recently and from the first few minutes, it was like we were best friends - he was just like that with everyone he met. He ALWAYS had a huge smile on his face, even with very hot temperatures when he was in a back room with very little air circulation and hammering away at something, if you were to walk into the room his face would light up when he saw you. We worked side by side for four days to help the animals in need, a few times 18 hours a day, then we parted ways. I did see him again a few weeks ago but just for 10 minutes but in those 10 minutes he greeted me with that huge smile, a hug and heartfelt thank you for driving supplies to help these critters.

He gave his heart and soul to caring for animals and never had a bad thing to say (other than about animal abusers). He recently became a Cruelty Inspector and had his future ahead of him, dedicated to the welfare of animals.

And yet, yesterday he took his life.

We will never know the reason this incredibly gentle soul felt his only option left was to end it all. Out of all the rescue people I know - of ALL the people I know period - I would never have thought for this person that ending his life was even a possibility. He was always so incredibly happy and ALWAYS had that huge smile. We'll never know what was going on inside though.

I've been doing rescue close to 10 years now and have heard/seen some pretty bad things. When I was deployed with UAN to the PM bust in October 2008 and went to the property, I saw things there that I will take to my grave with me. Pulling some dogs from very backward places and finding out they are full - and I mean FULL - of pellots from being shot. Shelters that regularly euthanize dogs by heartstick. Pulling a dog from a shelter only to be told 2 days later they "made a mistake" and gassed the dog.

Rescue is the most heartbreaking volunteer work I could ever imagine doing, and yet we keep plugging away - for the animals. But what we also do is keep the heartache to ourselves for the most part, and don't let others know when it's really hurting us. We put ourselves in so much debt, just to save one more dog. We go without sleep, trying to arrange transports. We take so much onto our own shoulders but we rarely ask for help.

Folks today, PLEASE reach out to someone. Go for a coffee with someone, offer a helping hand, ask for a helping hand ........ whatever it is that you need. We all need to support each other. If you're hurting, please talk to someone. We all understand because we live and breath it as well.

I've made some great friends in rescue and I've also made some enemies, but I would be there to help ANY rescue person if they ever asked for help. But as rescuers we just don't do that - we keep it to ourselves. We rarely admit we're human. We don't let our guard down.

This world definitely lost a bit of it's brightness yesterday when this young life was ended and we'll never know why, but hopefully someone will read this today and as a result, something will change. As a rescue community, we need to be there for others but we also have to admit that sometimes we need the help of others. There's very few of us in rescue that are not the "take charge, I'll do it myself" type of people, and generally we don't ask for help. But we're all human and my goodness, the animals need all of us and 10 times as many more volunteers, so we can't afford to lose even one person.

Rest In Peace my friend. I hope you've found the peace you were looking for.

Brenda