Since my first job almost 30 years ago, I have seen animals been born, cared for them daily, stayed the night if they were ill or when pregnant, been with them when they died. There are many stories of joy, of fun and success, of enrichment activities, behaviours trained, enjoying time together and play, of changes made. Good teamwork, seeing many animals flourish, and wonderful conservation, research, and education outcomes. Unfortunately, I have also worked in facilities where there was little or no regard for animal wellbeing – or human wellbeing. I have found myself in toxic work environments, have been bullied by bosses, and quit many paid jobs and volunteering positions. Did I have a role to play in that, could my communication have been better, could I…, well yes, every time these things happen there are a lot of sides to a story, however, many experiences were out of my control.

Since 2004 I enjoy full-time work through AnimalConcepts, and I still miss being...