Julia’s Blog: Coping

I’ve just been asked how do I cope when faced with animal cruelty cases …. My answer, I don’t. I am not any different to any other animal rescuer, I don’t put on a special cloke but I do put on a brave face and try to stay calm for the sake of the animals. Once home or away from the situation is when I break and the tears flow plus the wine comes out to dull the pain inside.  Crying is a natural way to release emotions so in essence a coping mechanism just like the wine but the pain stays and with each case a little bit more of my heart and soul are chipped away.

Calmness hasn’t always been the case though and I have to work hard to stay calm nowadays too but it does allow me to step back and think for a few seconds without rushing in mouth first and jeopardising things for the animals. I do get concerned about the effect of all the worry and stress on my overall mental and physical health but you only live once, as they say, and when you’ve opened your eyes to animal abuse you can’t close them. That’s why if I don’t take your call or answer your message I’m not being rude but I’m having a bit of down time.

I also tell people that you can’t save them all and that Sheep Ahoy focus on helping the poorly, neglected sheep and lambs because they have no chance of any happiness. The lambs with their Mums at least have Mum for a few months but the orphans won’t have that comfort. The poorly sheep will struggle along with no treatment so by helping them eases their suffering. Sheep Ahoy can’t physically, logistically or financial help them all …. but maybe one day eh?