Why 'Saving Them All' Can Hurt More Animals Than It Helps

Animal rescue is driven by heart, by the desire to save as many animals as possible, to give them a second chance at life. But here's the thing: trying to "save them all" can lead us down an unsustainable and ethically complicated path. We all face tough decisions when it comes to rescue work—decisions about which animals are the best candidates for saving and how to best allocate our limited resources. These are not easy calls, and they raise some big questions: Should we focus on animals with behavioral or medical limitations, even if that means fewer resources for others who might be easier to adopt? How do we balance our drive to help with the reality of limited space, time, and money?

The Paradox of 'Saving Them All'

On the surface, the goal of saving as many animals as possible sounds like the right thing to do, right? After all, who doesn't want to help every animal in need? But when you dig a little deeper, it's clear that the reality is more complicated. Shelters and rescues are overwhelmed. In the rush to save more animals, we can stretch our resources so thin that we're doing a disservice to the very animals we're trying to help. Shelters get overcrowded, staff gets burnt out, and the quality of care starts to slip.

The good intentions behind trying to save every animal can end up causing more harm than good. Instead of creating a sustainable system that helps animals thrive, it turns into a constant cycle of crisis management, overwork, and burnout—none of which are good for the animals, the rescuers, or the community at large.

The Ethics of Saving Animals with Limitations

One of the toughest ethical questions we face in rescue is whether to take in and subsequently adopt out animals with known limitations. These could be behavioral issues—maybe an animal has a history of biting, has a fear of men, kids, or people wearing hats. Perhaps it's just a dog who acts aggressively in certain situations. It’s possible that in the right home, under careful management, these animals can live happy, peaceful lives. In fact, I've made this work myself with several dogs of my own. But when a rescue or shelter takes in these animals, knowing that their limitations could pose risks to future families, are we being responsible?

Yes, animals with limitations can thrive in the right environment, but there’s always a risk. What happens if that animal gets loose? Or what if it's placed with someone who doesn’t fully understand its needs? What happens if that animal ends up in a home where it can't be properly managed? Are we truly helping the animal if we set it up for a potential failure? There's also the risk of putting both humans and other animals in danger when the animal is around. Even the most experienced pet parent managing a pet with behavioral issues can make mistakes or let their guard down.

This isn’t to say animals with limitations shouldn’t be rescued. It's just something we need to consider. Rescues and shelters have to make tough calls—and it’s not just about saving every animal; it's about ensuring the animals we do save have the best possible chance at a happy, healthy future.

The Cost of Saving Animals with Extensive Medical Needs

Now, let’s talk about a tough one: medical care. Some animals come in with major health issues, like chronic illnesses or the need for extensive surgeries. Rescues often face the difficult decision of whether to pour significant time, money, and effort into one animal that needs long-term care or whether those resources could be better spent helping multiple animals who need less intensive medical attention.

This brings up a tough ethical question: How many animals could we help with the same amount of money and resources spent on one animal’s treatment? Is it worth it to spend thousands of dollars on a single animal when that money could be used to help several others who might have fewer medical needs? The financial burden of medical care in rescue can be massive, and the decision to focus on one animal’s treatment over others is never easy.

While it’s heartbreaking to see an animal in need and not want to turn them away, we also need to think about what’s best for the overall system. Should we prioritize one animal who needs expensive treatment, or should we spread those resources around to help more animals?

The Emotional Toll and the 'Savior Complex'

The emotional toll of rescue work is real. There’s often this underlying belief that it’s up to us to save every animal. And while that’s coming from a good place, it can lead to "savior complex,"—where rescuers go beyond their limits, sacrificing their own well-being to help as many animals as possible. This kind of mindset is emotionally and physically draining, and it can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, and ultimately, a reduced ability to help.

One of the hardest decisions in animal rescue is euthanasia. While no-kill shelters strive to avoid it, sometimes it’s the kindest, most humane option for an animal, especially if they’re suffering from severe medical conditions or behavioral issues. But when we’re operating under the pressure to "save them all," it can be tempting to avoid euthanasia—even when it’s in the animal’s or society's best interest. This can prolong suffering, both for the animal and for those caring for it.

Recognizing when to step back and accept that not every animal can be saved is key—not just to preventing emotional exhaustion, but to doing what's truly best for the animals. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but by acknowledging our limits, we make room for better outcomes. Taking care of ourselves isn’t just for our own well-being; it's necessary so we can continue to do the work we love in a way that’s sustainable, effective, and truly beneficial for the animals we’re trying to help.

Shifting Toward a More Balanced, Sustainable Rescue Model

Reevaluating the "save them all" mentality doesn’t mean giving up—it just means we need to be smarter and more strategic about how we help. We need to focus on quality over quantity and prioritize animals who are most likely to thrive in a home. This might mean saying "no" to adopting out some animals, especially those with severe behavioral or medical challenges, to ensure that we’re providing the best possible outcome for the animals we do adopt out, as well as keeping people and other pets safe. By focusing on their long-term well-being, we can make sure the animals are truly set up for success in a home that can meet their needs.

We also need to focus on prevention—spaying and neutering programs, responsible pet ownership education, and ensuring people have the resources they need to keep their pets in their homes. This is one of the main reasons the rescue I founded,  Starlight Outreach and Rescue, isn’t just called Starlight Rescue. The outreach—helping community members keep their pets through food assistance, spay/neuter support, medical care, TNR, and more—is incredibly important to me. By addressing the root causes of overpopulation and homelessness, we can reduce the pressure on shelters and rescues, ensuring that the animals we do take in receive the care and attention they deserve.

A Call for Ethical and Transparent Shelter Practices

Ethical rescue and sheltering require transparency and honesty. Shelters and rescues need clear policies about intake, treatment, and euthanasia. It’s important to be upfront with the public about the resources available and the limitations we face. We also need to focus on long-term solutions—building foster networks, collaborating with other organizations, and investing in the future of animal welfare.

Ultimately, the goal is to do what's best for all animals. We need to think long-term and make sustainable decisions, not just for the animals we’re saving today but for the animals we’ll be saving tomorrow.

Conclusion: A Better Future for Animal Rescue

The "save them all" mentality is deeply ingrained in the world of animal welfare, but it’s time to take a step back and rethink this approach. Rescues and shelters need to balance compassion with responsibility, focusing on the animals who can truly thrive in a home and making sure our resources are used as effectively as possible. By focusing on sustainability, ethical decision-making, and prevention, we can create a rescue system that benefits both the animals and the people who dedicate their lives to helping them. These decisions aren’t easy, but they’re necessary to ensure that all animals, regardless of their limitations, get the care and attention they deserve.

If you're interested in hearing more about this topic and the need for change in animal sheltering and rescue, I dive deeper into these issues in two recent podcast episodes: "The Day Rescue Broke Me: A Hard Truth About Helping Too Much" and "Why No Kill is Failing: The Case for a Smarter Approach to Rescue." These episodes explore the ethical dilemmas, emotional tolls, and necessary shifts that need to happen in the shelter and rescue world for both animals and rescuers to thrive. Be sure to give them a listen for more insights into how we can evolve the rescue system for the better.