What Happens When The Rescuer Needs Rescuing?
It began when I was just 5 years old. A neighborhood friend brought me a hurt bird to fix and I actually did. Since that time, I’ve rescued hundreds of animals from dangerous, abusive and bad situations — many from certain death.
As is usually the case with rescue, it starts out as a small here and there venture, a catch as catch can — just taking in 1 more. Just 1 more. Certainly there’s room for one more. Until there isn’t. Nor are there the funds or donations or folks who promised they’d help with the workload.
And the rescuer is left running the rescue alone. All alone. And at first they don’t mind until they can no longer do it physically or are forced to get a “real” job to support their beloved animals, or have a defining life-changing moment.
My such moment was a stroke. And though I am so blessed and know it was surely a miracle from God that I have no residual paralysis, I am left with much less energy than before. Much too little energy and stamina to properly care for my dear rescues.
And I cry for them and me and wonder what will become of my rescues now that this rescuer needs rescuing? It’s a thought that has settled roughly and jaggedly deep in my soul, an unwelcome guest that refuses to leave and often doggedly haunts my dreams.
Rescuers are a different breed, an oddity to some, with a compassion for hurting animals that far surpasses the compassion others have. It’s not something acquired, it’s innate. Inborn. It doesn’t make rescuers better than everyone else, it just makes them unable to put their minds at ease when they know there’s an animal in need they can’t reach or help. We can see them — their haunted, sad eyes — when we close our eyes.
That same compassion causes rescuers to put themselves last which only exacerbates their situation and peace of mind. It’s also what drives them and keeps them afloat as they bottle feed kittens around the clock, sleep sitting up in a cold barn or bundled up on the floor comforting a sick dog or cat.
What’s the answer? What happens when a rescuer needs rescuing? Just give the animals to another rescue, that’s the answer. Right? Wrong. They are most likely also full and overwhelmed and need help — possibly need rescuing too.
But there’s more than that. The rescued animals all have pieces of us we have freely given to them — parts of our hearts we can’t reclaim — gleaned when we face their life and death circumstances and endless vigils with them. Willing them to live as we look into each other’s eyes.
Losing each one causes immeasurable and almost unbearable heartbreak — perhaps even a momentary resolve to never rescue again. Until the next time and the next and the rescuer somehow summons the strength to carry on.
Yes, we want the rescued to have their own loving homes — desperately so. That’s our ultimate goal, why we rescue. But because we are rescuers and see the worst mankind has to offer, the cruel indifference many have that believe animals can be discarded as trash — we must be careful where they end up. And careful takes time. A lot of time. And energy.
Because we know that our charges have no choice of where we allow them to go and live. But we do, and any rescuer worth their salt takes that very seriously. If not, they probably shouldn’t be rescuing.
And the cycle goes endlessly on, endlessly on--rescue, repair the medical issues, restore the animal’s spirit and find them a safe, loving home.
So I end with the same question I began with: What happens when the rescuer needs rescuing? There’s no easy one time or one size fits all answer.
But for me, at this moment, I have decided to rescue myself first (not last) by making sure I take care of my physical self and repair my medical issues when possible, restore my spirit through prayer (asking God to help me and my situation) and doing something I enjoy each day, and making my home a safe, loving place for those I love most.
Whether they be human or otherwise. For as long as I can.
Jackie Deems copyright 2021
