Worrying so much about animals

[AllThatTwitters]

I have always been sentimental about animals but nowadays it really occupies my mind quite a lot, and it just upsets me so much that there is SO much animal suffering worldwide, and even so many pets that are badly treated. They are vulnerable babies and it has pretty much been proven now that a dog has the same emotional range as a toddler and that other animals can also feel emotion.
I have gotten to the stage that if I wake up during a rainy night I fret about all the horses/dogs etc left out in the rain, and Jesus don't even get me started on the heatwaves....
Does anyone relate? I pour love on my own pets and I donate to charities but it doesn't assuage the worry!

I totally relate. I completely broke down the other day when I saw an advert about a cruelly caged bear. I recently lost my beloved cat and just can't get over it. I wish I could just adopt every single suffering creature. You are not alone!

It completely ruins my life. The only thing I can do to stop the obsessing is to volunteer in animal rescue, but then that makes me even more aware of the suffering. But at least when I'm actually doing something about it, even if it's a drop in the ocean, it quietens my mind for a bit.

I feel exactly the same and agree with a previous poster if I'm not doing something pro-actively it really gets to me because they are all so vulnerable I know it isn't going to change the world whatever I do but I try to think every bit helps towards making a change for the better to a few little lives.

I have made it clear on my Facebook that if anyone shared animal cruelty photos they will be blocked.

In the past I have seen some horrendous things and I don't want to see any more things as they are so upsetting.

I am involved with animal welfare and local charities and sanctuary's that have rescued animals.

Todays story of that brute of a woman who repeatedly hit her child's pony and has not been found guileful of animal abuse has angered me.

Ermm horses like rain, perfectly happy out in all weather as nature intended. Why on earth would you worry about that?!

If you want to feel sorry for an equine feel sorry for those competition horses that never see grass and wear ten zillion unnecessary rugs.

I’m exactly the same, it’s mentally torturous, I avoid all those horrendous adverts and news stories, it’s unbearable and there’s nothing I do can stop it 😢all I can realistically do is look after the animals and wildlife in my vicinity the best I can.

Don't worry about horses out in the rain. Mine would hate being in.

Personally,while I care very much about animals, children are higher up my list of things to cry over.

Yep, several of these posts really resonate…the terror of seeing yet another story on social media, the feelings of futility, all of that.

@Beaucielblues i am really sorry you lost your cat. The love for an animal is so pure and the grief is immense.

Just do what you can for animals. You can't stop the worldwide abuse, do something in your own back yard and don't watch the news. I don't eat meat and I home rescue animals and foster too. My tiny contribution but fuck all I can do about those further field

Totally agree op. It can maimed me some days. These poor innocent animals, rescues shutting doors, bursting at the seams. People seeing pets as disposable. It’s very upsetting & I feel exactly the same as you. I donate as much money & food as I can but it’s not enough.

Yet people are STILL not neutering, selling kittens & abusing animals.

I leave fresh water out for animals all summer & when everyone’s enjoying cosy, freezing cold winter nights, all I can think about is all the cold, homeless pets😢

Horses live outside in the rain, in the wild.

Waking up in the night over this is not healthy. Have you considered looking into it with a therapist? Perhaps you're subconsciously using this as an outlet for some deeper anxiety? x

Yes. I had to stop following one on Twitter because I used to get so upset reading it all. I donate to various charities like IFAW but I don't read all the updates because I can't deal with all the sad stories of suffering. There are places I know I'll never go because of the cruel stuff - Thailand, China, Vietnam and Mexico, for example. I will skip having a coffee when I'm in town so that I can donate another fiver to a shelter that I know is desperately short of funds (LIFE, in Bulgaria). One tip I have is to avoid reading the sad stuff late at night - it affects us more if we read sad stuff before bed, apparently. There are lots of kind people in the world who love animals too and are super brave trying to help them and educate owners. I do my best to give them help when I can.

I agree. I adopt rescues, don't eat meat and donate regularly to animal charities. I can't do anything about atrocities in China and the like, I know what happens but have no power to stop it, so I don't read useless "look at this terrible cruelty" stories on social media.

My mum is sadly dead now, but she adored animals. She spent the last decade of her life tirelessly raising funds for Animals Asia after seeing a TV show about the plight of the Moon bears. Animal cruelty caused her real pain but she turned it into a positive by devoting her time to helping.

I'm the same. I had to stop following a lot of posts on F/book as I just couldn't stand reading the sad stories. I do my bit by adopting rescues, or strays, and giving them a good home, and give to animal charities when I can.

I’m the same. I’m a huge animal lover and I feel so much pain thinking of animals over the world suffering. I feel the same about people too. I just hate to think of any creature in anguish. I can never get my head around people who don’t care. Although I think I envy them a bit as it can be really painful and consuming worrying about animals and the vulnerable. The world is a cruel place but there are lots of genuinely kind people as well and that’s what gives me some peace, that all the kind people in the world are all working towards making the planet a better place.

This.

Don't worry about horses out in the rain. Mine would hate being in.

So does mine. The amount of times I’ve dashed to the yard in torrential rain to get her in, only for her to fuck off to the other side of the field and leave me standing there like a lemon. She’s out-out in the summer unless the weather is bad - when she does come in she kicks her door, which is really fucking annoying, and wants out again.

I wouldn’t worry about horses out in the rain. I think it’s far crueller to shut them in a stable than leave them out in a bit of rain. They’re far happier out.

I do very much care about animals, and prefer them to lots of humans and volunteer for a local charity, but I realise there’s only so much I can do.

I am the same.

The greatest impact you can have on animals is to go vegan.

Knew it wouldn't be long for this sort of comment. 🙄

Breaks my heart too!

I just want to add, don’t know if it will help, that most horses love living outside in the rain. Honestly. Mine have a shelter with hay and a nice bed, but drive past late at night in the depth of winter in the howling freezing rain and they’ll be outside. So hopefully that’s one less thing to worry about x

Thanks x I guess I’m thinking of the city horses near to where I live that are left in a small crappy patch of land in all weathers and look a little dejected. I would love to think that they are happier than I’ve assumed though.

She sounds like a fantastic woman, sorry you lost her 💐