When Rescue Breaks You: The Cost of Saying Yes Too Much

Muddy Paws and Hairballs

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What happens when your love for animals becomes the thing that breaks you?

I broke down in the middle of a hurricane, sobbing, soaked, and desperately trying to keep my barn from blowing away while sick kittens cried in a barely secured shed. That was the moment I knew something had to change.

In this raw, no-holds-barred solo episode, I share the story I’ve kept quiet for too long. The mental, emotional, and physical toll of being the yes person in animal rescue nearly destroyed me.

With more than 4,000 animals fostered, a seven-acre property turned sanctuary, and a rescue I’ve built from the ground up, I hit a wall. I’ve weathered loss, illness, and natural disasters while trying to hold everything together. Now I’m telling the truth behind the polished social media posts.

🎧 In this episode, I share:

Why saying yes to every animal can mean saying no to the ones you could actually help
The emotional cost of euthanasia decisions and the savior complex baked into rescue culture
The exact moment I realized my passion had turned into a compulsion
Why I’m stepping back, not walking away, to rebuild with purpose
How I’m reshaping my rescue to focus on advocacy, boundaries, and sustainability
A preview of my upcoming interview on the truth behind the no-kill movement and what SMART sheltering really looks like

If you're a rescuer on the edge of burnout, consider this your permission to pause and breathe. And if you’ve ever loved someone in rescue, this is your honest, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to save lives without losing your own.

Comment on this episode! For questions or if you need a reply- please email us at [email protected]

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Chapters

1. Personal Turning Point in Animal Rescue (00:00:00)

2. The Cost of Saying Yes (00:01:52)

3. Hurricane Beryl Breaking Point (00:03:13)

4. Redefining the Rescue Dream (00:05:33)

5. Finding Peace with Boundaries (00:07:53)

6. Episode Closing & Next Week Preview (00:09:50)

117 episodes

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