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Animal Rights/Vegan Activists' Strategies



Compassion Fatigue: Indirect Harms From Caring About Animals

From Marc Bekoff, Psychology Today
January 2025

In a follow-up to his previous article, Marc Bekoff talks with noted conservation scientist Dr. Gosia Bryja about the emotional toll that learning about animal injustice secondhand can take as well as the importance of fostering resilience with a balance of sensitivity and toughness.

black bear

A few weeks ago, I posted an essay titled "Costs of Caring for Abused Animals Are Existential Crises" and focused more on how it affects the well-being of individuals who are actually doing the caring for nonhuman animals (animals) or who are their primary caregivers. A number of people sent me emails asking me if and how simply learning vicariously about different forms of animal abuse via social or other media can have a negative traumatic effect on other individuals who aren't directly involved in the situation at hand.

Because of these queries, I realized that while I made mention of what some call the "collateral damage" of witnessing or learning about animal injustice at a distance that doesn't involve giving direct care, I hadn't given enough attention to the actual scope of losses of animal well-being and declines in human well-being by just knowing that animal injustices had occurred. One of the people who wrote to me is noted conservation scientist Dr. Gosia Bryja, and her comments moved me to the point that I realized that a lot more had to be said about the contagious—transmissible—damage associated with such vicarious knowledge. Here's what Gosia had to say about this important and far too often neglected topic.

Marc Bekoff: Why was this essay of special interest to you?

Gosia Bryja: The essay resonated with me because it sheds light on the relationship between our psychological well-being and the well-being of nonhuman animals. Indeed, the harm done to our fellow creatures harms those of us who care about them.

When I collaborate with other advocates to assist wildlife through the political process or on-the-ground efforts, I notice the overwhelming grief and distress that fighting against animal injustice evokes. These are not irrational emotions. Growing scientific evidence reveals the cognitive and emotional capabilities of non-human animals. We increasingly appreciate that they are, just like us, sentient beings endowed with complex and irreplaceable lives. Ironically, however, such an understanding is both a blessing and a curse. It makes us more determined to alleviate the suffering of non-human animals, but also exacerbates the psychological toll that comes from experiencing cruelty toward them. It cannot be otherwise. Recognizing sentience, in all its richness, renders the violence done to it even more appalling and emotionally traumatizing.

MB: Can you elaborate on the negative and often unanticipated effects of "collateral damage" from witnessing or learning about animal abuse?

GB: As discussed in the essay, compassion fatigue can arise from direct exposure to animal suffering. However, it can also affect people who become "accidental" witnesses of systemic cruelty. It's an increasingly common occurrence. For instance, unceasing human development and environmental degradation lead to habitat loss and fragmentation that drive many wild animals, including black bears, into urban areas. Once there, these highly intelligent creatures are doing their best to adapt to a rapidly changing reality. Their struggle touches the hearts of many residents. Driven by compassion, they strive to coexist with and even get attached to displaced bears.

Unfortunately, outdated wildlife policies shatter these emotional bonds; they instigate fear and propagate the misunderstanding of what coexistence really means. Here, misguided labeling sets the stage. Once bears are labeled as habituated or food-conditioned, and thus deemed a threat, their fate is sealed; entire bear families are often killed in the name of the distorted notion of public safety. Such cruelty can leave residents attached to the animals, profoundly distressed. The memories of suffering never fade. They become haunted by images of bears captured in traps and by the sound of crying cubs who watched their mother shot dead. At times, the emotional strain can trigger prolonged trauma, especially when the experienced injustice comes with a sense of powerlessness to redress it and prevent it from happening in the future.

Emotional trauma is not limited, however, to witnessing firsthand harm done to wild animals. The very awareness of atrocities brought about by hunting, trapping, or government-sanctioned wildlife killing can be equally emotionally damaging. Again, it is not only the perpetrated violence that distresses the psyche, but also the fact that such inhumanity is often sanctioned, legal, or even celebrated. Dr. Anja Heister refers to this as the "Conservation Industrial Complex"—a system that perpetuates injustice by normalizing the exploitation of animals while marginalizing those who seek to protect them. For compassionate individuals, the institutional dominance of such a callous framework evokes a deep sense of alienation from society. One for whom sentience extends beyond humans becomes a stranger in a world that discards interspecies empathy. Over time, hope gets eroded, and a belief in the futility of compassionate efforts sets in, further deepening emotional scars and discouraging active involvement.

MB: Why is it important to understand these unanticipated effects, and what steps can reduce the impact of vicariously learning about animal abuse?

GB: To advocate on behalf of animals, we need resilient individuals who can sustain their efforts without succumbing to burnout. This is not an easy task. It requires possessing seemingly opposing personal qualities: sensitivity and toughness. The former makes us empathetic but vulnerable, while the latter allows us to persist in caring. Your essay already provides many excellent tips for self-care that can strengthen the resolve to foster compassionate coexistence while facing and navigating challenges. I would also emphasize the importance of community support, as it provides a safe space for individuals to process painful emotions, reduce burnout, and develop effective coping strategies. We are in this together. Encouraging people to view their efforts as part of a collective endeavor helps them envision seeking change as a shared responsibility, not an individual burden.

MB: Is there anything else you would like to share with readers?

GB: Acknowledging the connection between our psychological well-being and the well-being of other sentient beings is essential to creating a healthy planet and thriving communities; it allows us to understand the importance of self-care and emotional health, both of which are vital in confronting challenges facing us. I also believe in the power of tipping points within our social systems. The underlying trends can remain invisible, but they are not dormant. While we may not know the precise moment when the change will occur, even a tiny action can assist in sparking a paradigm shift toward a more compassionate world. Everyone, anywhere, can contribute to this shift.


References

In conversation with Dr. Gosia Bryja. Based in Vancouver, Gosia is a full-time academic instructor teaching geography and environmental studies courses. She also collaborates with local organizations and communities to promote wildlife practices that embrace the principles of compassionate conservation. Gosia recently launched an online magazine called "Omere" as a platform to address topics related to the relationship between humans and wildlife.

Bekoff, Marc. The Emotional Lives of Animals (revised): A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy — and Why They Matter. New World Library, 2024.

Bryja, Gosia. Black Bears Do Not Deserve This Fate. Medium, 202

Gelineau, Jacqueline. Death of 3 bruins has West Kelowna residents asking for better bear management. The Abbotsford News, October 22, 2024.

Lavoie, Judith. A Town’s Beloved Bear Was Killed. Some People Say Enough. The Tyee, February 20, 2024.

Pacific Wild. B.C. government releases disturbing wolf cull images. April 18, 2023.

Empathy Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Among Animal Rescuers; How Animal Rescuers Are Burning Out Their Empathy; Beating the Burnout While Working For a Compassionate World; Animals and Us: Maintaining Hope and Keeping Our Dreams Alive in Difficult Times; Why We Misjudge Wolves, Bears, and Other Large Carnivores; Wildlife Conservation: Bringing Compassion to Wild Animals


Posted on All-Creatures.org: January 14, 2025
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