Beyond the Frontlines: Why Behind the Scenes Work Matters for Animal Rescue

Life-saving work doesn’t end in the field, when the day's heat and adrenaline fade. It continues throughout the night, in different countries and regions and across multiple time zones. Behind brightly lit computer screens crowded with hundreds of unanswered emails, or in front of a large crowd who listen with prickled ears for statistics, logistics and figures – the battle to protect animals never stops. This blog dives into the depths of our organisation, shining a light on the unsung heroes: the fundraisers, admin team, co-ordinators, grant writers and strategists whose tireless dedication helps create lasting and impactful change. It’s a reminder that making a difference isn’t reserved for the frontlines – it belongs to everyone who chooses to lighten another’s burden.

“No one is useless in this world who lightens a burden of another”

– Charles Dickens

Defining ‘frontline’

‘Frontline’ typically describes those closest to the action, engaging directly, responding urgently, battling for a cause. The assumption is that to be on the frontline, a person has to physically be there, wildlife rangers, veterinarians and volunteers are some examples of the typical frontline team member at Worldwide Vets.

With the use of technology, companies can stretch their mission across the globe by the click of a mouse, does the lack of physical presence mean that they're not battling for a purpose? Absolutely not!

Reframing this rigid idea is key to understanding how our projects not only begin, but continue making an impact long after the fieldwork ends. Before that first dart is fired, months of stressful planning and relentless fundraising have taken place across different countries, specialities and computer screens. Thousands of people that can’t be seen physically – including you – dedicate their lives to this one purpose – protecting animals.

No helicopter flies without funding.

No rescue happens without planning.

No awareness is spread without you.

Shining the spotlight on the invisible heroes

I could simply describe the behind the scenes work and leave it to you to imagine the roles involved – but that would overlook the thousands of people whose effort deserves the spotlight.

With that being said, let’s dive into some of these important roles that keep Worldwide Vets a global saviour for animals:

Fundraisers and Grant Writers

Dr. Jon Geller, Director of Development

Jess Walsh, Fundraising Intern

Kristin Hammond, Fundraising Intern

Writing proposals for grant applications, giving presentations on multiple projects globally, organising events, planning and running fundraising campaigns, reaching out to and contacting donors – without fundraisers we would have no financial resources to fulfil our mission of animal care.

The grant writers who researching organisations, writing and proof-reading proposals, gathering data, statistics and financial information, applying to grant applications. By translating the needs of animals into persuasive, data-backed funding requests, grant writers open the possibility of funding opportunities – a single grant application could fund the sterilisation of 200 street dogs.

Administration Staff

Estelle Guimaraes, Head of Fundraising

Tracking budgets and finances, booking travel, ensuring permits and insurance is in place and up-to-date, digital and physical record keeping – the backbone of any organisation

Co-ordinators

Matching volunteers to projects, providing advice and support to volunteers, trouble-shooting issues in real time, planning and facilitating events, scheduling, logistics – acting as liaisons, facilitators and negotiators so that the whole organisation is streamlined effectively.

Bailey Romi, Senior Clinical Outreach Coordinator

Dani Herbst, Volunteer Coordinator

Leanne Foley, Administrative Intern

Communications teams

Writing stories, sharing photos and videos, educating the public, raising awareness, creating a community – bringing us all together for one simple mission, to save millions of lives. Without fundraisers, there’s no fuel, no emergency care, no lifesaving medicine. And without those, animals in crisis zones would be left to suffer. Without the social media team, there’s no spreading awareness, no education, no community.

And without those, our mission and hard work for positive change would go unnoticed.

Every spreadsheet, Instagram reel and budget leads to one direct impact – animal rescue.

Sarah Kickhofel, Marketing & Communications Director

Genie Bezuidenhout, Social Media Manager

Maya Clowes, Media Intern

“But I’m not doing enough”

The feelings of “not doing enough” stem from the societal judgement placed on us, leading us to think that our work, even passion, is irrelevant in comparison to that of someone who is taking physical or immediate action.

Is that the truth? I hope at this point in our conversation that your answer would be no. However, if you still doubt that these feelings are false, let me give you an example that we can all relate to.

Imagine someone helping organise an online fundraiser. They’re not in the field, not wearing scrubs or boots. They're at home – switching between tabs, writing emails, updating social media, and nervously refreshing the donation page for hours on end. Now imagine a few weeks later, a rhino stands in a wide, dry savannah, sedated, as a team works quickly to remove its horn to protect it from poachers. The helicopter, the vet team, the fuel, the tranquillisers, they were all paid for with the money that the fundraiser helped raise. They may not be in the photos or videos. But they were absolutely part of the rescue. Impact doesn’t require presence. It requires purpose. And if you’ve contributed to a mission that you care for, in any form– you are doing more than enough.

There’s a role for everyone

We all have different skills, talents, qualities and visions, this makes us uniquely vital in supporting the causes that are closest to our hearts, even if that role is based in your living room.

Dr. Gemma Campling, Executive Founder & CEO

From running your own online fundraising campaign, to liking, sharing and engaging with our social media posts you can make a meaningful impact in the lives of animals who have no hope remaining. You can give them that hope.

Lastly, I want to take the time to say a huge thank you 🫵

Thank-you to the grant writers, administrators, social media team, fundraisers, co-ordinators, donors, volunteers, followers, readers… You are all part of our team. Whether you are in a busy city in America, or the outbacks of Australia, every moment that you spend behind the scenes ripples out to animals that need it most. Because of you, their stories continue – and hope lives on.