Why We Do It: A Grateful Salute to My Fellow Rescuers

The author with her beloved Thelonious Monk. photo: RDR

I’m an animal rescuer with Rocket Dog Rescue.

You may find me crawling through the bushes at midnight on the side of a busy road with a net trying to save an injured bird.  Or standing on a highway trying to slow the cars and trucks to save a terrified old dog cowering in the traffic lane, helping a stray dog give birth on the way to the shelter, or trying to coax a severely injured feral Husky mix for badly needed medical treatment.  

Rescues like Rocket Dog receive hundreds of emails about animals facing death at shelters. Messages that crush our hearts. Over and over and over.

So why do we do what we do? Why would anyone put themselves in the position of having to absorb so much pain? And how much is too much?

My life certainly has no shortage of grief on its own. In the past year or so, I’ve lost my sister as well as other beloved humans and animals. And of course, like many, I’m still living with the residual trauma of the Covid pandemic, struggling to hold it all together while adapting to the new normal. My feelings of sadness and isolation are sometimes overwhelming. And I don’t think I’m the only one. 

Meanwhile, the shelters are suddenly flooded with animals. Many rescues are full or even closing their doors entirely, with no end in sight. The demands on organizations like Rocket Dog have never been higher. 

But here’s the thing, the part that might not be so obvious to the naked eye, the reason so many of us in the rescue and humanitarian sector keep going. It's gratitude.

It’s the gratitude we feel at that moment when a trauma emergency tips and, with a huge flood of relief, we emerge into a place of safety. It’s when being there for a fellow creature during their most vulnerable moments ignites a deep sense of healing within ourselves. It’s when our actions to rescue others help us address the hidden wounds of our own souls. 

It’s the gratitude for the many people who, often against all odds, are willing to step forward to help in those moments of trauma, whether it’s an animal, a fellow human, or the planet we share. People who are willing to make phone calls, share information, donate, volunteer, drive, collect blankets, put up posters, and more. All that energy, put forth by people just like you and me, can and will help heal the hurt in this world. 

So here’s a salute to all those out there in the trenches, and especially to my own team of Rocket Dog Rescue volunteers. These are the folks who are willing, capable, and ready to jump into action at a moment’s notice for an animal in need. And then wake up the next morning, hearts afire, ready to do it all again.

Being here with all of you, walking this path in life, this is where my gratitude glows the brightest, outshining any pain or grief that may come my way. You are willing to give your time and energy, quietly and often unseen. 

I witness your hearts in action. And if no one else has told you today, you are golden.