Why do animal shelter workers burn out?
Apathy, isolation, bottled up emotions, substance abuse, poor personal hygiene, and emotional outbursts head a long list of symptoms associated with the secondary stress known as compassion fatigue.” Untreated, Compassion Fatigue leads to Burnout. But Burnout is different than Compassion Fatigue.
Can working with animals make you sick?
Although dogs can be beneficial to the health and wellbeing of their owners, people should be aware that dogs of any age, including puppies, can sometimes carry harmful germs that can make people sick. Germs from dogs can cause a variety of illnesses, from minor skin infections to serious illnesses.
Are shelter cats sick?
A larger percentage of cats in shelters carry the baggage of URIs (Upper Respiratory Infections). The most common are: Feline Panleukopenia Virus (Feline Distemper), Feline Calicivirus, and Rhinotracheitis (Feline Herpes Virus) The symptoms include runny eyes, sneezing and an elevated temperature.
How long can a dog stay at a shelter?
Over thirty states have what are termed “holding period” laws. These laws provide the minimum required period that an animal (usually a dog or cat) must be kept at a pound or public animal shelter before it is sold, adopted out, or euthanized. Typically, the holding period runs from five to seven days.
How many diseases are there in animal shelters?
Veterinary staff who work in animal hospitals, zoos and laboratories, for example, know more about the medical history of their patients than shelter workers dealing with large numbers of stray animals on a daily basis. There are at least 200 known zoonotic diseases, and more are being continually added to the list.
Why is zoonosis an issue in animal shelters?
Zoonosis is the term used to describe diseases that can be passed from animals to humans and vice versa. This is an issue of special importance to staff who work in animal shelters because of the unknown background and high incidence of disease in shelter animals.
What to do if you get sick at an animal shelter?
If you do become ill, let your physician know that you work with animals. If you don’t know if a disease or condition is zoonotic or not, assume that it is and treat it accordingly. Wear gloves and masks, isolate the animal, wash hands, and DISINFECT, DISINFECT, DISINFECT!
What should you do if you work in an animal shelter?
If you don’t know if a disease or condition is zoonotic or not, assume that it is and treat it accordingly. Wear gloves and masks, isolate the animal, wash hands, and DISINFECT, DISINFECT, DISINFECT! It should always be remembered that most people who work with or own animals do not contract any of these diseases.
Why are there so many diseases in animal shelters?
Animal shelters face significant challenges in preventing, diagnosing, and treating many forms of infectious disease due to limited financial and organizational resources. Daily decisions must be made about the best allocation of resources for prevention and treatment of disease, spaying/ neutering, and behavioral rehabilitation.
If you do become ill, let your physician know that you work with animals. If you don’t know if a disease or condition is zoonotic or not, assume that it is and treat it accordingly. Wear gloves and masks, isolate the animal, wash hands, and DISINFECT, DISINFECT, DISINFECT!
If you don’t know if a disease or condition is zoonotic or not, assume that it is and treat it accordingly. Wear gloves and masks, isolate the animal, wash hands, and DISINFECT, DISINFECT, DISINFECT! It should always be remembered that most people who work with or own animals do not contract any of these diseases.
Why are shelter animals at a higher risk for heartworm?
In shelter animals, risk for heartworm infection is thought to be higher than in privately owned pets because stray and surrendered shelter animals are less likely to receive prior veterinary care. 1