Her first spoken word was "cat."

Even before she said "mama" and "dada."

And the cat didn't even like her.

Today's guest is Tracy Munson, my good friend from lower shebobia New Brunswick. Lower shebobia … ha … it's technically Hillsborough, New Brunswick, a small community about a half hour south of Moncton and right on the Petitcodiac River.

About a three-hour drive from the little town in Nova Scotia where I grew up.

But she's not from there. She's a Toronto girl, from the Big Smoke, where she plied her trade as a veterinary technician.

The work got to her, though.

Being in veterinary medicine is hard. It may be the only industry we know where it is a responsibility to end life.

Tracy recognized she was in burnout mode and started planning her escape … to becoming a pet photographer. She's now a recognized leader in Canadian pet photography and an award winner in both pet photography and landscape photography.

Today, we have a discussion about careers in vet medicine and the trials and tribulations that lie within.

What to listen for

5:23 Vicarious trauma and its impact on animal shelter workers

11:53 The emotional toll of euthanizing sick and injured animals

17:53 How support in the field is improving for animal shelter workers

28:28 Compounding trauma with the grief from her own loss

40:00 How the COVID-19 pandemic took its toll

41:50 Why prioritizing your exit plan can make all the difference

Resources mentioned

Dr. Faith Banks on TikTok

Compassion Fatigue in Animal Shelter/Rescue Workers

Practice Compassionate Badassery with Jessica Dolce

The Art of Being Kind to Your Vet

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