12/29/2025
I recently had a surrender appointment with two kind women. The emotional, caring conversation for the animal was rare. As they left, one said something harmless.
“We’ve got to go to our real jobs, but we wish we could just play with puppies as you do.”
They didn’t mean any harm. Not even a little.
But that sentence has sat heavily on my chest
Because animal shelter work is one of the most misunderstood jobs there is.
Yes, we love animals. And people use that against us, abuse it.
Yes, we absolutely treasure the moments when we get to cuddle a puppy or watch kittens romping around. And being happy.
But that is the tiniest sliver of what we do.
What people don’t see are the hours spent making impossible decisions. The intake rooms were filled with heartbreak. Having to vaccinate and administer dewormer preventatives as soon as they arrive. They see animals that come in neglected, injured, shut down, or broken. The conversations where we absorb someone else’s grief, guilt, anger, or desperation all at once. And are meant to fix it all right THEN.
They don’t see staff constantly cleaning kennels, advocating for animals that don’t have voices. Fighting burnout while still showing up with compassion. Being screamed at, thanked sometimes, ignored, blamed, looked down on, and relied on all in the same day.
Shelter staff don’t “just play with puppies.”
We carry the weight of lives every single day.
And we do it because we believe animals matter.
Because even on the hardest days, saving one life or giving one animal a chance makes it worth it.
So the next time you think of shelter work, know this.
Behind every wagging tail is a team holding up an entire world you rarely get to see. All while facing personal battles every single day.
They may be heroes. But they are humans.
By: Kershaw County Humane Society
