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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
Aug 13, 2026
Aug 13, 2026
38 min
On today's episode, I talk with animal advocate and longtime radio personality Holly Haze, whose journey into rescue began with a dog named Taco. After sharing Taco's story on social media and learning that he had been euthanized, Holly realized that awareness alone wasn't enough—she needed to do more.
That moment sparked a mission that eventually led to Furry Friday, a weekly radio feature highlighting shelter animals in need of homes. Through her voice and platform, Holly has helped countless animals find families while becoming deeply involved as a volunteer, foster, and board member.
We Explore:
- How grief and guilt can become catalysts for action
- The emotional realities of volunteering in animal welfare
- Compassion fatigue, burnout, and the "zealot phase"
- Why boundaries are essential for staying in the work long-term
- Finding compassion satisfaction in the small wins
- The systemic issues driving shelter overcrowding
- The importance of spay/neuter and public education
- Why every person—regardless of their skills or emotional bandwidth—has a place in helping animals
- How fostering, daycations, photography, social media, and even laundry can save lives
- Learning to accept that we cannot save them all while still making a difference
Resources Mentioned:
Holly’s Instagram
Additional Resources for Managing Compassion Fatigue:
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Interested in becoming certified in compassion fatigue? Learn more here!
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Get your copy of To Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for the Animal Welfare Warrior here.
Pre-order your copy of Beyond Compassion Fatigue: Trauma, Resilience, and Recovery in Animal Care and Advocacy here.
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