Is It Worth It?
Is It Worth It? Becoming a Wildlife Carer
Thinking about becoming a wildlife carer?
Oh—YES. But let’s be honest: it’s not for the faint-hearted.
Lets start by finding yourself a good mentor. Someone who’s been through the heartbreak, the sleepless nights, the bottle feeds at 3am, the burials at dawn. Join a group. Get registered. Learn the ropes. And when your mentor speaks—listen. Don’t dismiss her years of experience because you’ve read a few articles or watched a few videos. Even carers with 10, 20 years under their belt still lean on each other. This work demands humility!! It does not tolerate egos!!
Because caring is hard. It’s expensive. It’s relentless. It’s holding a joey who won’t make it and still showing up for the next one. It’s watching your bank account shrink while your heart expands. It’s second-guessing every decision, every symptom, every moment you wish you could change.
You don’t get paid. You pay—in fuel, formula, vet bills, time, emotion, sleep. You pay with your heart, over and over again.
And yet—is it worth it?
Yes. Unequivocally, YES.
It’s worth it when a joey curls into your chest and finds safety in your heartbeat. When they look to you for warmth, food, protection—because you’ve become their whole world. It’s worth it when you see trust in their eyes, even after trauma. When you watch them grow strong, learn to hop, learn to forage, learn to be wild again.
And then comes the hardest day of all—the day you soft release them. You’ve fed them, protected them, taught them how to survive. And now you let go.
You watch them hop away into the bush, into a new mob, into a life you helped make possible. They’ll grow up. They’ll have babies. They’ll nurture them the way you nurtured them.
And you’ll cry. Because they were part of you. Because you loved them. Because you did what was right.
So, is it worth it?
Yes. To know they’ll live free. To know they’ll thrive. To know you gave them a second chance.
It’s worth every sleepless night. Every heartbreak. Every sacrifice.
Because love—real, wild, selfless love—is always worth it.
"MJ came into care with spinal trauma and left with a huge chunk of my heart. She didn’t make it—but she mattered. Was it worth it? Oh yes. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat."