i know how you feel OP.

stories of abuse or animals suffering in some way affects me too much.

i guess over time you will gain desensitisation to the feelings you get when you are volunteering. people gain this desensitisation in other areas - hospitals, paramedics, police etc.

you could be especially sensitive to these things because of other existing anxiety issues, or hangups, or whatever. take me as an example, i would take a guess that i am especially sensitive to abandoned animals because i have abandonment issues of my own since i was a kid. the way i'm tackling this is by getting full-on into self development, reading a lot and trying to improve my situation with what i'm learning.

i personally couldn't do what you do right now, it would stress me out way too much. so you are doing really well. the world needs more people like you. i'm all for harsher punishment for animal abusers. they are living things, the same as humans. you kill a dog? that's murder in my book.