Need advice from people who rescue/foster

[Kikya]

Hello,

I've been thinking that I would like to start my own rescue someday down the line. Now I'm currently working full time and raising my children but someday, I won't have so much responsibility.

The internal problem I'm having right now started a few days ago when I saw a craigslist ad that I just knew was a terrible situation. I found a rescue that said they would take them in, if I was able to transport them and house them for a couple of days etc.

I went there, I paid a "rehoming" fee (which was basically booze money, not joking) for two "female" hamsters. The cage was filthy, nothing but a food dish, a water bottle, and an inch of dirty bedding. The house smelled like smoke. When we got home, it was clear one was a male and one was likely pregnant. I got the cage/water bottle cleaned, made two bin cages, put what extra supplies I had in the cages, wheel, fresh bedding, hides etc. All was good and they genuinely looked much happier. Dropped them off last night at the rescue.

I'm so glad I was able to get them out of that situation and when I was doing it all, it felt like the right thing. But afterwards, I just feel very sad about the whole thing. Not that I helped the hamsters but that people would treat animals like that. The female is pregnant about to give birth, the male potentially has a lump on his chest (that in my mind 100% was caused by the smoke inhalation in that house). The babies are likely to have health issues with a young mother and being conceived in that place. I am telling myself that they will have better lives from here on out, but that's little comfort for some reason.

I realize there are a lot of terrible situations out there and this is by no means unique. I guess what I'm wondering about is how you deal with the fall out? Perhaps, I am too emotionally invested to be able to foster or rescue. Perhaps most rescues are so busy in "saving mode" to deal much with the aftermath. I don't know.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.