Every morning, animal rescue workers and veterinarians walk into their clinics, shelters, and hospitals ready to save lives. Yet, behind the scenes of wagging tails and grateful families lies a reality few outside the profession understand: the emotional toll of caring for animals can be devastating. In recent years, the mental health crisis among animal care professionals has come sharply into focus, with suicide rates among veterinarians and animal rescue workers among the highest of any profession. This is where veterinary social work steps in—not just to support grieving pet owners, but to save the lives of those who dedicate themselves to saving animals.

The numbers are sobering. Veterinarians in the United States are 3 to 5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population, with female veterinarians at particularly high risk. Animal rescue workers face a suicide rate of 5.3 per million—on par with firefighters and police officers. The reasons are complex: daily exposure to suffering and death, ethical dilemmas, compassion fatigue, and the emotional burden of euthanasia all play a role.

Consider the story of Jian Zhicheng, a Taiwanese veterinarian and shelter director who died by suicide after being forced to euthanize hundreds of dogs due to overcrowding and lack of resources. Despite her tireless efforts to rehome animals and promote adoption, the weight of these decisions became unbearable.

Or Sophia Yin, a renowned veterinary behaviorist and advocate for humane animal training, whose suicide at age 48 in 2014 sent shockwaves through the veterinary community. And it's not just veterinarians; other types of animal caretakers, such as animal rescuers, are feeling the pressure. Recently Mikayla Reines, 29, founder of the SaveAFox rescue group, was found to have ended her........

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