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A raw and authentic podcast for those who work or volunteer in animal care, welfare, or activism, who are struggling with compassion fatigue, burnout, grief and loss, secondary traumatic stress, and other mental health concerns. Through both solo and guest episodes, I blend science, psychology, spirituality, and even a touch of "woo woo" to help you manage compassion fatigue, build resilience, and make your passion for helping animals sustainable. If you're involved in animal caregiving, rescue, trap-neuter return (TNR), sheltering, animal control, cruelty investigations, veterinary medicine, fostering, wildlife or marine rehabilitation and conservation, animal law or lobbying, ethical veganism, or any other role in animal care, welfare, or activism, and struggling with the consequences of caring so much that it hurts, this podcast is for you!
The host, Jen Blough, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor, compassion fatigue coach and speaker, and author with more than 35 years of experience in animal welfare and activism. She is the author of To Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for the Animal Welfare Warrior and the upcoming book, Beyond Compassion Fatigue.
Episodes
Thursday Apr 16, 2026
Thursday Apr 16, 2026
My guest today is Dr. Antoine Goetchel, who is a Swiss attorney and leading expert in animal protection law. Since 1985, he has worked to advance legal protections for animals, helping to introduce the concept of the “dignity of the creature” into Swiss Federal Constitution and Animal Protection Act. He founded the Global Animal Law Association and the Foundation for Animals in Law, and has authored 13 books and more than 50 articles on animal law.
In this episode, we explore:
- How childhood pet guinea pigs led Antoine into the field of animal protection law
- Why strong mental health and tolerance for differing opinions make animal advocates more effective
- How to avoid overidentifying with animal suffering by working with a “warm heart and a cool brain”
- What Antoine does to stay grounded and mentally resilient
- Antoine’s perspective on what the next forty years may bring for animal protection
Antoine's Resources:
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Global Animal Law (GAL) Association website
- Antoine's website
- Online database on animals within the law, ethics, and society.
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Article: Animal welfare as the basis of One Health: A UN convention on animal welfare, health, and protection poses a realistic solution to improved animal welfare and human health
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