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Managing grief associated with
euthanasia
Dianne Gardner
Paper presented at the
ANZCCART Conference,
Auckland, June 2008
With thanks to Kerry Gibson, Centre for Psychology, Massey
University, Albany, Auckland
Is it a problem?
Mostly studied in animal shelter workers and veterinarians.
Affinity for animals part of choice of occupation.
“Normal” reactions may include sadness, fear, guilt,
irritability, depression, anger, helplessness or
hopelessness.
Can feel threatened or simply philosophically
uncomfortable
Can be a major source of stress
Stress can be related to work-family conflict, health, job
satisfaction, intentions to leave.
“Moral stress”: when people are required to perform actions
they have difficulty justifying on moral grounds
Not everyone
Not all the time
Who might be susceptible?
Gender
Attachment to animals
Seeing euthanasia as performed for human
convenience.
Inexperience
– Exposure to stressors can be cumulative BUT
– Experience (of successsfully managing stressors) can
lead to resilience (the stress inoculation hypothesis)
Lack of training
Lack of social support (more on that later)
Other factors that affect susceptibility
Species (even differences b/w dogs vs.
cats in shelters)
Practices (reasons, methods)
Employee workload, feelings of support,
rates of euthanasia, reasons for it.
Evaluation of euthanasia as necessary
and acceptable.
Coping with work stressors
Task focused coping
Active coping: deliberate efforts to solve the problem
Planning: working out steps to put things right.
Reappraisal of the situation
Reframing: Trying to see the problem positively.
Acceptance.
Humour.
Social support
Emotional support: comfort and understanding from someone
Instrumental support: practical help from someone
Avoidance
Self-distraction: attempts to take your mind off it.
Denial: thinking it isn’t real/hasn’t happened.
Behavioural disengagement: doing something else.
Self-blame.
Venting: expressing negative feelings.
Substance use.
Coping with euthanasia: the
research
A major coping strategy was to emotionally
separate from situations encountered.
– “I'm not cold, but I am detached”
– Can still lead to stress and emotional exhaustion
– The ability to detach and desensitise is learned.
Humor
– reduces tension by acknowledging death as
part of the setting but also minimising for the
moment tragedy and finality
Placing blame – tends to be unhelpful.
Managing meaning.
Rationalising: paid to do it, do it or someone else will…
Technical proficiency: becoming skilled, gaining
confidence that the euthanasia was done well
Thinking of euthanasia as a humane act
“Maintaining a perspective that your work matters and
is part of a larger effort by thousands of people who
deeply care about animals”
“there is no conflict between caring about animals and
working in research once an individual is committed to
the inevitability of the invasive use of animals and has
accepted a role as an animal advocate. Persons in
such a position are all that stand in the way of animals
being treated solely as tools.” (Rollin).
Social support
Can be hard to find people who can listen
without judging.
Source of support, perception of the
existence of support and, most
importantly, satisfaction with support
Sources:
– peers
– companion animals
– management
Other individual strategies that may
work.
Good self-care
Leisure, having fun, hobbies, time in nature
Finding a relaxation technique that works for you;
Knowing when to ask for help – everyone experiences
frustration or weariness.
Supportive peer supervision - examine stressful and
often emotionally demanding situations in a safe and
confidential environment.
Mentors
If you decide to seek help, identify a counsellor or
psychologist who understands compassion fatigue and is
familiar with your profession.
The danger of focusing only on
what individuals do…
Increasing interest in healthy work.
The legal context puts responsibility on
workplaces to manage psychological harm
resulting from work-related stress
(HSEAA, 2003)
Rules protect the animals not the staff??
Organisational factors can help
Larger organisations may have more
social and financial resources to help
employees.
Importance of good HR practices in staff
selection: structured interviews, work
samples, realistic previews.
Training: easing new employees in is
recommended.
Organisational culture
Some damaging cultures (i.e. sets of values,
norms) found in organisations that deal with
traumatic work.
– A culture of denial (emotional numbing)
– A culture of helplessness (‘a drop in the ocean’)
– A culture of suspicion (mistrust, overly concerned with
rights)
– A culture of bonding (people band together - but
against a real or perceived external enemy)
– A culture of disintegration (loss of focus, conflict)
How about:
A culture of scientific inquiry? Of learning? Of…
Other important factors
Management supportiveness
Counselling (available if required)
Job rotation
Assistance or more help, breaks and time
off
Skills-based training
Stress and coping seminars
Employee appreciation and moraleboosting initiatives.
Communication…
Feelings about euthanasia should be discussed
openly.
Informal support groups can be helpful.
It may be appropriate to take a few minutes out
to share thoughts and feelings. Talking can help
relieve stress and perhaps vent feelings.
Allowing time at staff meetings for exchange of
ideas and feelings on the topic of euthanasia
can be helpful.
Some organisations use ritual (University of
Guelph, Canada - memorial service to acknowledge the
use of animals and their contributions to excellence in
research and teaching; Buddhist rituals at Japanese
animal research facilities).
Other ideas
allowing requests for more time for specific
animals
working in pairs when euthanizing
having a choice about whether to be in the
euthanasia room with a specific animal
a Euthanasia Journal in the staff room
a prayer posted beside the crematorium
a periodic memorial service
displaying photographs to acknowledge animals
that have been there
So what’s really happening?
Small groups
In your experience what do INDIVIDUALS
do to manage euthanasia-related stress
that works?
In your experience what do
ORGANISATIONS do to manage
euthanasia-related stress that works?
Personal daily debriefing
(Huggard & Huggard)
Leave your professional role at work at the end of each
day
Check that tasks are finished and documentation
completed.
Outstanding issues: either Complete OR Delegate or
Write down to do tomorrow.
Formally acknowledge that the work day is completed.
Remember what went well in the day and what didn't,
focus on the positives.
Acknowledge you did your best with the resources
available to you.
Say your goodbyes.
Take off your name badge or develop other personal
“rituals” that signify that work is now completed.
Try hard to not take work home but if you must, create a
specific space and only use it for this purpose.
Thank you!
References
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ethics, and animals." Anthrozoos 2(3): 181-188.
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