What The Animals Tell Me
by
Sonya Fitzpatrick


ISBN 0-425-19290-3

ISBN 0-425-19290-3

5 2 1 9 5>

9 11780425111 92900III:

A Berkley Book

Published by The Berkley Publishing Group A division of Penguin Putnam
Inc.  37 Hudson Street New York, New York 10014

Animal Planet and the Animal Planet logo are registered trademarks of
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Copyright 1997, 2003 by Sonya Fitzpatrick Book design by Tiffany
Kukec

All rights reserved.

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First edition: March 2003

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Fitzpatrick, Sonya, 1940

Sonya Fitzpatrick, the pet psychic : what the animals tell me / Sonya
Fitzpatrick.  1st ed.

p. cm.

New York : Berkley Books, 2003.  ISBN 0-42-19290-3

1. Fitzpatrick, Sonya, 1940 .  2. Animal communicators Texas Houston
Biography.  3. Pet psychics Texas Houston Biography.  3. Human-animal
communication Anecdotes.  4. Telepathy Anecdotes.  I. Title.

S-F411.45.F58A32003

133.8'2 dc21 2002043865

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

10 98764321To my beloved Rhodesian Ridgeback, Bela, for the joy and
happiness she brought to our family ove so many years and for her
steadfast loyalty and devotion

CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

1. Little Pigs Have Big Ears

0 0

My Early Life

2. Animals Tell the Best Gossip

The Beginning of My Animal Communication

3. Human Emotions

Your Pets Know Just How You Feel

4. No Bad Pets

Fighting and Other Behavioral Problems

5. Litter Box Blues

Housebreaking and Litter Problems

6. When Whiskey Met Sally

Introducing New Animals to the Household

7. Sonny's Proper Schedule The mportance of Routine

8. For the Love of Animals

How to Be a Responsible Pet Parent

9. Healing with the Angels When Your Pet Is 11

10.  Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?

Lost Pets

11.  What the Butler Saw Your Pet Is Watching You

12.  If I Could Talk to the Animals Communicating with Your Animal

13.  Howls and Whispers

Communicating with Wild Animals

14.  Fond Farewells

How to Cope When a Beloved Pet Dies

PREFACE

It's hard to believe that it has been seven years since my story was
first told.  Many things have happened since that time.  I have learned
much more from my animal friends.  I now have my own weekly national
television show, The Pet Psychic, on Animal Planet, and many other
wonderful opportunities are on the horizon.  The success of my books,
seminars and television show have given me a platform that will allow
me to help animals even more.  Animals have taught me everything I
know.

By stepping into their world, I have been able to understand their
emotions, their divine intelligence and how much more they understand
and are in tune with our universe than we humans.  They feel impending
atmospheric and geological changes in the earth in their physical
bodies because they are much more in tune with all the physical
elements of our earth-its electrical and magnetic fields-than we humans
are.  That's how their language travels.  That is also how they sense
things that we cannot.  By sensing and feeling the earth's magnetic
fields, birds intuitively fly straight and true x PREFACE to their
winter homes thousands of miles away.  Migrating whales do the same
thing.  I feel privileged that so many animals have allowed me to enter
their world.  They have taught me their language and shared their
incredible experiences with me.  I feel very humbled that they have
trusted me.  Many people tell me they too have shared communication
with their own animal friends.  They are now beginning to understand
that animals do have a silent language that is truly a wonder of
nature.  My experiences over the last few years have taken me to an
even deeper level of understanding of our animal companions.  They
trust me because they know I care about them and love them with a
passion.  When you truly feel that deep love and compassion for the
animals that share your life, then you will receive a precious gift in
return their love and trust.

INTRODUCTION

How often does one hear from devoted animal lovers, "I I wish there was
some way I could know what my pet is thinking and feeling."  Well,
there is such a way, but most people do not understand that they can
connect their own human mind energy to their animal's mind energy and
communicate.  They believe what many of us have been told from early
childhood: It's impossible to communicate with our pets on any
meaningful level.  People don't realize that there is something unseen
that exists between humans and animals a telepathic channel we can all
access to communicate with the animals we love.  I was fortunate as a
child to be fully tuned in to this channel.  Talking to animals was as
natural for me as breathing.  In fact, because of a profound hearing
loss in both my ears that doctors did not discover until I was almost
eleven, it was actually easier for me to understand what animals were
communicating to me telepathically than what humans were communicating
to me verbally.  It was only as I grew older that I began to realize
not everyone could "talk" to animals in this same way.  xii
"INTRODUCTION As I'll explain in chapter l, at the age of ten, a
heartbreaking trauma made me cut off the telepathic communication I had
always enjoyed with my animal friends.  Many years passed, and I was an
adult when I rediscovered the ability to speak telepathically with
animals.  Then in the spring of 1994, I experienced an angelic
visitation that was to change my life.  Shortly thereafter, St.

Francis himself, the patron saint of animals, visited me to tell me he
wanted me to help him work with animals.  Soon, I felt the door to the
world of communication with our animal friends opening once again.  At
first, it was a bit confusing for me, and difficult to understand that
I had been chosen for this work.  But as the weeks passed, I felt my
awareness of animal communication steadily increasing.  My lifelong
love for animals had culminated in this special gift.  I now know I
have been chosen to help animals, to educate people about the often
cruel or thoughtless ways that animals are treated, and to enlighten
them about what they can do to make life easier for their pets.  I do
this by talking to animals and finding out how they think and feel.

People often ask me how I "talk" to animals, how I make myself
understood, and how I manage to understand what they are saying back to
me.  The method I use, though perhaps not widely known, is neither
complex nor mystical.  I use my mind's energy, sometimes called
telepathy, to communicate with animals, to discover what is worrying
them, what they like or dislike, and what makes them happy.  If they
are hurting or hungry, I feel those sensations in my own body.  A
pleasantly full sensation tells me the animal is being regularly fed,
while gnawing hunger pangs tell me just the opposite.  If the animal
has an ear or bladder infection, or is stiff with arthritis, I feel the
exact symptoms in the correlating parts of my own body.

" Every living thing-plants, trees, animals, humans gives off energy,
and it is this energy I tune in to with my mind to establish
communication with animals.  It is easier to communicate in this way
with animals than with other humans because animals are receptive to
telepathic transmissions, whereas most humans, through years of
conditioning, are not.  Telepathic communication is a universal
language that transcends boundaries of time, distance and species.

Many people unwittingly use telepathic communication when they have
come to know their animal very well.  They may think of it as reading
the animal's body language, but whatever they call it, telepathy is a
higher form of communication, which uses a completely different part of
our brain than what we use in our day-to-day lives; a part most of us
rarely access.  Humans know simply that their dog or cat responds to
their spoken commands or whistles, never realizing they may be
communicating with their pets on this higher telepathic plane.  Though
animals communicate quite readily telepathically, humans have to learn
to relax enough to be receptive to this form of communication.  With a
bit of concentration, each of us are capable of connecting on the
telepathic level with an animal we love.  We can learn to exchange mind
energy with our pets, transmitting pictures and information back and
forth with astounding speed, as there is no time or space as we
understand them on the telepathic level.  Humans rely on speaking for
communication because that is what is easiest and most natural for us,
so we tend to discount the notion there might be an alternative way to
convey thoughts, ideas, information, emotions and feelings.  But just
because animals do not speak with words as humans do does not mean they
do not communicate.  Animals communicate with pictures and feelings
they transmit telepathically.  You may not realize it, but xiv
"INTRODUCTION we humans can and do communicate telepathically in that
same way.  Let me give you an example.  If I asked you to tell me,
"Where is the Statue of Liberty?"  your first impression would be a
picture in your mind.  Your thoughts would create a detailed mental
image of the statue and its environs almost instantaneously.  In your
mind (or imagination), you would be able to "see" the torch held high
in one hand, the spikes of Liberty's crown, and the surrounding
water.

At the same moment you were "seeing" these things, you might feel a
sense of amazement, or wonder how they built such a large statue.  You
probably think this picture and these thoughts and feelings exist only
in your imagination, but in fact at the moment you imagine it, that
same picture you see so clearly in your mind begins transmitting out
telepathically from your energy.  If your dog or cat is nearby, they
will receive the picture and perhaps start wondering why you are
thinking of a large statue.  If you look at them now, you might even
catch the look of puzzlement on their faces.  We regularly lay out our
plans in our heads before we do anything.  We dream, we think great
thoughts, we hatch ideas, we play out scenes.  All this mental activity
is broadcast telepathically as we produce it.  These pictures, plus the
feelings and emotions that accompany them, are the basic building
blocks of telepathic communication, just as words are the building
blocks of spoken communication.  Many people are not aware they have
the ability to communicate in another language because they believe
that spoken language is sufficient to cover all their communication
needs.

But this other, telepathic language is the language animals understand,
and if you can master it, even on a very elementary level, you will
greatly increase your understanding of your pet's mo" INTRODUCTION XV
tivations, which in turn will lead to a closer and more satisfying
relationship with your pet.  You are probably not consciously aware of
creating pictures from your mind energy or thoughts, even though you
may see them in your mind or imagination while you are creating them.

As soon as you see the picture and verbally relate or explain whatever
thoughts that accompany that picture, your mind races on to its next
task and transfers the picture you have just created into the storage
area of your brain known as short-term memory.  But the picture does
not die there.  Your animal sees these pictures you send out, and picks
up not only all the pictures, but also the feelings, emotions, and
ideas that accompany the picture as they go out telepathically from
your mind through your physical body.  You are constantly creating such
pictures each time you think of something, and transmitting thoughts
and emotions as you react to various stimuli during the course of your
day.

Though animals do learn the rudiments of human speech from living with
us and react reliably to certain key words, it is the telepathic
pictures, thoughts and emotions you send out that your animals use to
make sense of you and the human world.  All animals speak this
universal language, even species such as birds, turtles, and fish. When
I hear an "expert" declaring certain animals to be dumb, it makes me
sad, because I know from firsthand conversations with many different
species how intelligent animals are.  Often, as you will discover in
this book, their stories are quite entertaining.  Not enough has been
written about animal sensitivity, their intuition and intelligence, and
the love and care they show to each other and to their humans.  Pets
are very much like humans in their feelings and emotions, which makes
them very sensitive to human emotions.  They understand all the
problems within xvi ZNTRODUCTION ?. their home.  If the owner is
depressed, they feel the unhappiness.  If the owner is happy, they feel
the same way.  This is not to anthropomorphize animals, but rather to
finally r'F acknowledge that they do experience emotions not too
dissimilar '" from our own.

Animals are certainly well aware of their own F'j feelings, and pet
owners and people who work closely with animals are quick to tell you
their animal companions display behavior that is difficult not to
interpret as emotional.  We've all seen dogs smiling and heard cats
sighing with contentment.  Yet, until recently, the world of feelings
was considered exclusively a human province.  Fortunately, that is
changing.  Even scientists are now beginning to accept that animals do
experience emotion, though they may be loath to attach that particular
word to their observations.  In their wonderful book, When Elephants "
Weep, Jeffrey Masson and Susan McCarthy make a convincing argument for
the rich and complex emotional lives they have observed among animals
in the wild.  But animals experience far more than simple emotion and
far more than we give them credit for.  They have incredible
memories.

They never forget when they have been hurt, and they never forget a
kindness.  If there is a change in their behavior, I have come to
understand th exe is always a very good reason for that change and that
the reason, which may seem inexplicable to E their humans, makes
perfect sense when viewed from the animal's perspective.  In fact, upon
investigation, I often find the problem originates with the owner, not
the animal.  If we as pet owners and animal lovers are sensitive and
oba j servant, then we, too, can understand our pets and their behavior
in new and rewarding ways.  It is not difficult to do, though each of
you will achieve varying degrees of success depending " upon your
openness to telepathic communication, your persistence, the
relationship you have with your animal to begin with, ZNTRODUCTION
xvii and the animal's willingness to communicate telepathically and
proficiency in doing so.  At the end of this book, I will explain how
you may achieve a higher level of communication with the animals in
your care.  But first, I will tell you a little about my background,
and how I came to this work of animal communication.  Then I will share
some of the wonderful stories of pets and their owners who have been
helped by St.  Francis and my angel guides-some healed of an illness,
some restored to their rightful homes after being lost, others simply
guided into more desirable behavior.  Hopefully these stories will
offer you insight into what your pets are thinking.  Whether or not you
believe I can truly "talk" to animals is unimportant.  What matters is
that you treat your pets with the greatest love, kindness and courtesy
possible.  With patience, sensitivity, awareness, and the conscientious
application of the principles I have employed in my relationships with
members of the animal kingdom, principles which are outlined in this
book, it is possible for many animal lovers to establish telepathic
communication with their pets.  If the stories in this book open the
way for you to enhance and develop further the loving relationships you
enjoy with your pets, I will have achieved my purpose.  St.  Francis
has asked me to help animals, and I pass that request along to you. All
that our pets want is love and security.  It is my wish that after you
read this book, you will have some insight into the importance of
demonstrating that love to your pet on a daily basis.

CHAPTER ONE

Little Pigs Have Big Ears My Early Life When I was a child in England,
I spent many happy hours " /' 1' talking to the animals in my
village.

It was not the imaginary talk so many children use; I actually
communicated with animals and held daily conversations and
consultations with my favorites.  I found out their likes and dislikes,
how they felt about each other, and what made them sad and happy.  In
the typically egocentric way of a child, I thought everyone could talk
to animals the same way I did.  I had no idea as yet that I was
different in that respect, and that to other people the idea of
actually communicating with animals in any sort of intelligible way was
completely unthinkable.  So when I told my family I talked to animals,
they thought I was simply being very imaginative.  I lived with my
parents, Russell and Cora Smith, my sisters, Dawn and Coral, and
brother, Gordon, in Hartwell, Northhamptonshire, in the Midlands
section of England.  My father was a businessman in the village.  He
had a grocery and several other business concerns.  There, I was known
as "Sunny" because of my outgoing disposition and golden-blond hair.  I
was the third child, and spent a great deal of time with my maternal
grandmother, Emmaline Robishaw, because my mother was busy working and
had little appreciation for what she called my "vivid imagination."  I
used to try to impress my mother by' saying, "I've been on my best
behavior, Mummy," to which she'd reply, "You haven't got any best
behavior, Sunny."  My grandmother Robishaw was a very beautiful woman
and I adored her.  Her cottage was beautifully kept and provided me
with a cozy retreat from the rigors of my family life.  We often sat
together during the long winter evenings, while she taught me to sew,
knit and read, hobbies which I enjoy to this day.  I loved to operate
her old treadle machine.  I used my feet to push the platform back and
forth, leaving my hands free to guide the fabric through the needle.  I
had my own bedroom at my grandmother's cottage and lived mostly there,
rather than with my family.  Grandmother's cottage was very close to my
parents' home, so it was easy for me to go back and forth as
necessary.

Grandmother gave me my own little corner of her cottage garden so I
could plant flowers from seeds.  She taught me how to put the seeds in
the ground just so; then each day I would go with my little watering
can and gently water them.  My favorite time was when my hard work was
rewarded with a garden full of fragrant, lovely blossoms. Grandmother's
cottage garden was spectacular, full of heirloom roses, lilacs, and
lots of other beautiful flowers.  We spent many happy hours in her
garden.  That is where I first encountered frogs.  Grandmother taught
me how essential frogs were to the life of a garden because they ate
all the insects.  She also taught me how clever the bees were.  She
used to tell me, "See how the bees kiss the flowers?"  She told me they
did that to get the pollen, which they then took back to their hive to
make honey.  I marveled at how hard the bees worked to make honey,
which I loved to eat.  Watching bees was just one of our pastimes.

Grandmother taught me I must always honor all creatures, no matter how
insignificant they might seem to me.  She said each one had its place
in God's universe, and that if I was observant, I could begin to
understand what that place was and how all animals worked together for
the good of nature.  On summer evenings, the two of us would go for
walks through Salcey Forest.  When we happened upon a particularly
beautiful spot, we would put down a blanket and sit very quietly, not
moving or making a sound.  Those times were very special to me.  We saw
many beautiful forest creatures as we sat there: a shy and gentle
family of deer; rabbits hopping across the clearir_g; red squirrels;

and bushy-tailed foxes.  She understood that I could talk to animals in
a way no other child of the village could and made sure I had the
opportunity to observe wild creatures in their natural habitats.  Those
times in Salcey Forest were wonderful for us both, and when I look back
and remember today, it still brings me a feeling of happiness.  BACR
then, I had a small terrier named Judy, my first dog.  She would always
tell me if she felt cold.  English winters can be very bitter, and we
often had snow.  Animals do feel the cold, especially when there are
drastic changes in temperature.  When I told my parents that Judy was
cold, Father said she had a fur coat to keep her warm enough.  But I
knew my father was wrong about that, because when Judy transmitted her
body temperature to me, I felt cold in my own body.

When Judy was cold, I would get one of my baby sister Coral's woolen
knitted jackets and put it on her.  Then I would lay her on the sofa
and cover her with a blanket.  She laid on her back with her little
paws over the top of the blanket, telling me she felt very happy when
she was warm, and very unhappy when she was cold.  I knew the
blue-and-white striped jacket was Judy's favorite coat because she
telepathically transmitted a picture to me of the jacket.  My family
was amazed that the dog allowed me to do the things I did for her,
because she could and did nip if someone tried to do something she did
not like.  But Judy always had a wonderful temperament around me, and
we loved each other dearly.  The difference with me was that I spoke to
her telepathically, so I knew her likes and dislikes.  I often told my
mother that if people would listen to Judy, they would know what she
wanted.  Some people are very active and talk with their hands, but
Judy did not like people running about or moving their arms very
quickly.

It startled her and made her feel uncomfortable, so she nipped to let
people know she did not like it.  Nor did she like bicycles going very
fast.  She said it made her feel dizzy, so she chased them.  I was
careful to always move very slowly when I was with Judy to keep from
alarming her.  When Judy was approaching the end of her life, I told
her death was nothing to fear.  I told Judy that when she died, she was
going to heaven where God lived.  My grandmother had told me God had a
beautiful garden and lots of fields for the animals to play in.  I told
Judy that one day I would meet up with her and play with her in God's
heavenly fields, and she would never be cold again.  As Judy grew
older, I realized I could feel in my own body the aches and pains the
old dog was experiencing.  I learned how to soothe those aches by
laying my small hands upon her body.  I didn't truly understand what I
was doing;

I just knew I could do it.  I also began to understand why she was
often grumpy and cross with people.  I envied her the option she had of
simply nipping at people who annoyed her; it was something I frequently
wished I could do.  But I acted out my frustrations over my parents'
indifference in the time-honored fashion of any child who feels she has
been neglected or misunderstood.  I did outrageous things, like putting
our chickens over the fence into the neighbor's garden.  Mr.  Breyfield
was always complaining about my cats going into his garden, but that
was nothing compared to the damage our chickens could do.  I told the
incredulous birds they could eat all Mr.  Breyfield's green vegetables
and the all-too-willing accomplices didn't stop until their tummies
were ready to burst.  I was never found out.  When asked, I told my
father the gate between our two yards must have been left open by
accident.  This was just one of my many adventures with my animal
friends.  I soon became aware I could tune in to how any animal was
feeling simply by concentrating.  The baker, Mr.  Sturgess, went
through the village with a horse-drawn cart delivering fresh bread.

People would come out of their houses and shops to get a loaf and
exchange a bit of gossip.  When the baker's horse, Pickles, stopped
outside my father's shop, I closed my eyes and my leg started aching.

That's how I knew the old workhorse's leg was hurting too.  Soon, I
realized Pickles was telling me about his sore leg, and asking for my
help to feel better.  When I ran my hands gently over Pickle's face and
asked him if he would allow me to help him with his pain, he always
said yes.  Because I was not yet tall enough to reach up to him,
Pickles lowered his head for me so I could stroke him.  I put my hands
on his poor leg and stroked it, all the while telling him it would be
better.  I felt a sensation of heat in my hands while I was doing this,
and felt what I now know was healing energy flowing through me to the
horse.  Finally, the baker climbed back into his wagon, but not before
the old horse thanked me for removing the soreness from his leg.

Even the baker seemed to understand that I had some sort of beneficial
effect on Pickles, who could then complete his rounds in comfort, free
from the pain and stiffness in his old arthritic foreleg.  That was the
beginning of my phenomenal gift for healing animals.  Z loved the great
old workhorse.  Sometimes, Pickles asked me to go with them to complete
their rounds.  He said I could ride on his back.  So I would ask Mr.

Sturgess to lift me up and I would ride the rest of the way perched
high upon the noble steed, feeling like a princess.  I liked to visit
the old horse in his field when he wasn't at work pulling the baker's
cart.  I brought him apples and carrots, and we passed many a pleasant
hour chatting amicably.  Pickles grumbled because he had worked hard
all his life, and did not want to go on working indefinitely.  But he
feared Mr.  Sturgess could not manage without him.  Though Mr. Sturgess
was a kindly man who treated Pickles with affection and respect, he was
greatly dependent on the ,ld horse.  Pickles knew the baker's route by
heart.  He kaew where Mr.  Sturgess had to go into a home to take bread
to an invalid, and where people would come out to chat.  Mr.  Sturgess
feared he could never find another horse as well-suited to the work as
Pickles.  After the baker's rounds were completed, Mr.  Sturess drove
to the pub, where, like most men of the village, he enjoyed spending a
couple of hours each day discussing news and downing a few pints of
ale.  Pickles dropped him off at the Rose and Crown, then pulled the
empty wagon back home by himself.  Once there, he pawed the ground
outside the cottage door until Mrs. Sturgess came to unharness him from
the baker's cart and release him into the field.  He did this every day
except Sunday, which was his day off.  Mrs.  Sturgess really loved
Pickles, and he loved her in return. She also treated the old horse
with great kindness and love, stroking him as she unfastened his
harness.  She knew Pickles had arthritis, so she soothed him by telling
him she had a lot of pain in her bones too.

"I know your poor old bones hurt like mine, duck," she told him
affectionately.  Pickles was something of a sensation in our village.

We all considered him a very smart horse for figuring out how to get
himself home, and not waiting outside the pub in all sorts of weather
for Mr.  Sturgess to finish his pint.  When Mr.  Sturgess pulled up
outside the Rose and Crown and tied the reins over the horse's head so
that he would not catch them in his legs as he walked home, Pickles
knew he was through for the day.

"Pickles, go and have your rest," Mr.  Sturgess would say.  We all knew
the baker would stagger home a couple of hours later after having a few
pints of beer.  Sometimes I was in the village and Pickles asked me to
walk back home with him, which I always did.  When the apple trees were
bearing in the fall, he liked to walk past Miss Bilton's, the
schoolteacher's house, and help himself to a couple of choice apples.

She didn't mind sharing as we were all fond of the horse.  When he
couldn't get over to Miss Bilton's, he often asked me to bring him
apples in the field.  Many times in the middle of a school day, Pickles
telepathically sent me a picture of a rosy apple, and I knew he wanted
me to bring him one after school.  He liked ripe apples much more than
green ones.

* * * PcKLES was great friends with Blackey, a lovely black pony who
belonged to Derek, my brother Gordon's friend.  Like Pickles, Blackey
was also a working horse.  He delivered milk from Derek's dairy farm to
the lorry, which then took it to the factory where it was bottled.

Folly Farm was about three miles from the village.  Derek had taken it
over after the death of his father.  I spent many an idyllic afternoon
ambling along the road to the dairy, picking poppies, buttercups, and
daisies, and talking with my animal friends along the way.  I knew all
the cows by name as English farmers in those days had the habit of
naming each of their milk cows.  I made up names for the sheep and
called out to them as they grazed in the lush fields and pastures
adjoining the road.  Sometimes, so many cows and sheep followed me
along the road and through the fields that it looked like I was leading
a herd.  Derek's wife, Hill, did most of the actual physical labor on
the farm.  She milked the dairy herd twice a day while her husband went
fishing.  The cows all walked up to the top of the hill when it was
milking time.  When the milking was done, Hill loaded the milk cans
into the cart, and Blackey pulled the cart up to the factory.  After
Blackey's work was done, Hill turned him out into the field to graze
and relax a bit.  On some days when I asked for a ride, Blackey said
yes, but on others, he said no, and no matter how I tried to convince
him, he wouldn't be caught.  He'd run full speed in the opposite
direction, tossing his shiny black mane and tail as if to say, "Not
today!  You can't have a ride today!"  But on those days when he did
allow me to ride, Blackey took great care of me.  He would not buck or
run too fast.  , When we rambled along the country lanes together,
Blackey often stopped to nibble on grass.  I liked to get off his back
and point out particularly succulent patches, calling out, "Look
Blackey!

There's some juicy grass over there!"  Then I would sit at his feet
while he ate.  Sometimes I harnessed Blackey to his trap and went to my
father's shop in the village to get groceries for Him.  I always made
sure to get a big, juicy apple for Blackey.  Blackey loved to visit
Pickles as much as I did, The two were great friends.  I used to tell
them how important they were because they worked so hard and were so
vital to the commerce of the village.  THERE was another horse in the
field next to Pickles, a very beautiful horse named Star.  all she had
to do was take Mr, Smart's daughter, Sue, for the occasional ride.

Both Blackey and Pickles thought Star was very cosseted and spoiled,
but they liked her nonetheless and admired her great beauty.  All three
horses were frightened of the village blacksmith, whom they said was
not very kind to them.  Blackey and Pickles told me they had heard him
saying that horses were stupid, and that I was stupid as well for all
the fantastic stories I made up about being able to talk to animals.

Blackey and Pickles told me what happened to old Mrs.  Bobbin's horse,
Rosy, after she died, Mrs.  Bobbitt had placed the animal in the
blacksmith's care, and asked him to make sure her beloved horse went to
a good home.  Instead, he had sold Rosy to the slaughterhouse for
meat.

Blackey and Pickles begged me to convince their respective owners not
to leave them in the blacksmith's care should they pass on, and so I
did.  The blacksmith regularly went into my father's store to buy a
meat pie for his noon meal.  One day he came in and ordered

SONYA "FITZPATRIGK

his usual and I called out, "Let me get it for you, Dad."  My father
was more than happy to let me assist him, as he liked to exchange news
and gossip with his customers, and the blacksmith was no exception.  I
never could understand how the blacksmith could talk about other people
when he himself was the talk of the village, always visiting Mrs.

Biggles whenever her husband was away from home.  I often overheard
people telling my father, "There he is at Mrs.  Biles's again, and she
with her curtains drawn for hours.  I think it's disgusting!"  When I
asked my dad what was disgusting with Mrs.  Biggles and the blacksmith,
he just replied, "Little pigs have; big ears!"  On this particular day
I decided to punish the blacksmith for his unkindness to Pickles and
Blackey, and for what he did to Rosy.  Before I gave him his pie, I
smothered it in a cloud of black pepper, then wrapped it in
grease-proof paper and handed it to him with a big smile.  Then I
slipped off to the back room where I could watch as he took his first
bite.  The blacksmith started to choke and his face turned bright
red.

At that point I made a hasty exit out the back door of my father's shop
and stayed away for a reasonable length of time, at least until I
stopped laughing.  , When I arrived back home in time for tea, Father
said he wanted to see me.  He asked me if I had put the pepper in the
blacksmith's meat pie.  He had found the pepper pot in the shop': to be
almost empty and the day before it had been almost full.  I told him
no, that it must have been an accident at the factory: My father was
very angry and told me I had to stack shelves in the store for the next
week.  I hated stacking shelves but it was ; worth the punishment just
to see the satisfaction on the faces of Pickles and Blackey when I told
them the story.  I decided that from that point on if I could find any
way to annoy the blacksmith, I would.  OUIt vicar's cottage sat just
within the embrace of Salcey Forest.  The Reverend Canon Vandeleur
Martin made his home there, along with his cheerful wife and two
amazing animals, Bertie, a small Jack Russell terrier, and Jeremiah, a
highly intelligent cat who sat daily just inside the vestibule of the
vicarage.  From this perch, he watched the world go by.  Bertie and
Jeremiah were great friends and each looked after the other.  Each day,
Jeremiah and Bertie accompanied Mrs.

Martin when she came to my father's shop.  She was a petite,
dark-haired woman who walked with a limp because one of her legs was
shorter than the other.  This affliction puzzled me greatly; I couldn't
understand how this could be.  When I finally gathered my courage to
ask her, she smiled and told me she had been born that way.  It didn't
bother her at all; in fact, she considered it a blessing.  On occasion
I met with Mrs.  Martin as I was returning from a visit at my
grandmother's cottage.  I always looked forward to walking with her and
her two animal companions.  Jeremiah had decided he would rather be a
dog and was determined that the next time he returned to earth in
physical form it would be as a dog.  He asked me if I was happy being a
human or would I rather be an animal.  I considered my life and told
him yes, that although I thought animals much nicer than humans, on the
whole I was quite happy and content to be a human girl.  My father had
two assistants at his shop Pat and Aunt Rene.  Pat always seemed cross
to me.  She walked stiffly as if she were suffering from rheumatism.

Her chief pride in life was her knit ting and she frequently mentioned
the knitting prize she had won at the Women's Institute Craft Fair.

Aunt Rene was so called because she was the village mortician, and she
told me that after you had washed a family's naked relative and
prepared them for burial, they thought of you as family too so everyone
called her "Aunt."  Aunt Rene was famous for always wearing a blue
knitted beret, and also for the fact that she carried her beloved
stuffed cat, Tiger, about the house with her as she worked.  She was a
spinster and had so loved her old cat that she couldn't bear to part
with him when he passed over, so she'd had him stuffed and mounted in a
glass case.  When I went into my father's shop with Mrs.  Martin and
her two animals and my three geese, Pat would always scold me, "Who
ever heard of geese coming in a shop?"  Pat would ask loudly and
indignantly.

"Get that lot out of here, now!"  Her face turned bright red when she
caught one of the geese eating a rosy red apple from one of the fruit
bins that sat on the shop floor.  I pretended not to hear her as first
one and then the other of my geese helped themselves to choice
treats.

Finally, when Pat's red face was covered with perspiration and she
looked ready to explode, Aunt Rene would gently ask me to take the
geese outside and this I would do.  When I came back into the shop, my
mother always had a stern look for me, as she knew I'd been teasing
poor Pat on purpose.  The escapades of my geese were nothing compared
to the antics that Bertie and Jeremiah dreamed up.

One day, old Mrs.  Harris made the mistake of putting her shopping
basket down on the floor while she went to pick out a nice, fat
cabbage.  Nasooner had she turned her back than Bertie helped himself
t'?"  the package of biscuits sitting on top of her order.  Sensing h
was about to be scolded, Bertie struck first, running to the r,

burlap sack of potatoes sitting on the floor among all the fresh
vegetables and lifting his leg there.  When she saw this, Pat's eyes
bugged out like chapel hat pegs, but she didn't dare say anything since
Mrs.  Martin was not only the vicar's wife, but also a very good
customer.  My father held that the customer was always right, even if
their dog was ruining a perfectly good sack of potatoes with his
mischief.  Mrs.  Martin always brought her old baby carriage to carry
her groceries home.  In England we called them prams, which was short
for perambulator.  Jeremish rode home perched like a conquering emperor
atop the groceries piled in the pram, while Bertie ran along beside,
complaining the whole time and asking why he couldn't be allowed to
ride as well.... Jeremiah was an extraordinary cat and even more
psychic than most.  He once told me about a month ahead of time that a
thunderstorm was coming that would damage one of the old oak tree's in
the vicar's garden.  And just as he had predicted, a month later a
violent storm swept through the village and badly damaged one of the
old oaks.  I had made sure to tell Mrs.  Martin when Jeremiah predicted
the storm, and when it actually came to pass she was amazed.

"Sunny, did Jeremiah actually tell you this?"  she asked.  When I told
her he did, instead of saying I had a wild imagination as most of the
villagers did when they heard one of my stories, Mrs.  Martin kindly
told me, "You have a most unusual gift, indeed."  Then she turned to
Jeremiah and looked him deep in the eyes.

"That cat does know a lot, doesn't he?"  she remarked.  As she was the
vicar's wife, Mrs.  Martin would often have visitors for afternoon
tea.

Jeremiah knew just which ones did and didn't like cats.  The cat lovers
he left completely alone, but he made it his business to mercilessly
torment the visitors who didn't like cats.  He would greet them with a
loud "meow" and

14 SONYA "F1TZPATRICK

then rub ceaselessly against their legs.  As soon as they sat down, he
would spring from out of nowhere and land on their knees, giving them a
start that frequently resulted in a spilled cup of tea.  When the
occasion was formal and tea served in the drawing room, Jeremiah would
jump up and lick the butter from the scones of the anti-cat people
before they could even take a bite.  Then he would scamper down to his
corner and watch in amusement as the visitors were forced to eat the
scones he had licked, for Mrs.  Martin prided herself on her delicious
homemade scones and he was careful never to commit his transgressions
in her view.  If someone left so much as a bite of scone on their
saucer, Mrs.  Martin, looking hurt, asked if they didn't like scones.

So, in order to avoid offending their hostess, the poor visitors were
forced to eat the scones the cat had licked.  What made it even more
devious was that Jeremiah was careful to direct this mischief only
toward those he knew to either dislike cats or who were frightened of
them.  THE annual village fete was a big occasion.  The year of Queen
Elizabeth's coronation, I asked Pickles if I could ride him in the
parade.  He liked that idea very much.  I communicated to Pickles that
I was going to be dressed in a very nice dress, and that he was going
to have a ribbon in his harness.  He immediately transmitted that he
wanted a red ribbon, so I told him red it would be.  When the big day
arrived, I got up early.  Mr.  Sturgess had told me I would have to
give Pickles a bath before the parade and brush his coat until it
shone.  Pickles was excited about the parade and felt very happy that I
was going to be riding him.  I told him he was a very special horse
because not many horses

THE PET PSYCHIC I$

got to walk in the fete parade; in fact, this particular year he was
the only one.  I brushed his mane and plaited his tail, telling him all
the while how very smart he looked.  Pickles said he hadn't had his
tail plaited before, so I reminded him of the week before when I had
shown him my own hair done up in a plait, and told him he would be
having his tail done the same way.  That pleased him immensely.  As
Pickles did not have a saddle, I rode directly on his back.  The old
horse was used to walking with his head down to bear the weight of the
baker's cart.  But I transmitted a feeling to him of standing straight
and tall.  I told him that today he would walk with his head held high
and proud, because he was my special horse.  As I rode Pickles up the
road, he told me he would walk his very best and that he hoped that bad
dog, Hero, who always chased him and tried to nip his legs, would not
be at the parade.  I told him not to worry, that nothing could spoil
this day for us.  I told him we were going to win the competition and
when we did, I would get him a lot of apples as a reward.  I told him
we would get a ribbon and a nice present if we won a prize.  He was
even more excited about the prospect than I was.  We did get third
prize and I told Pickles that I would remember the day as long as I
lived.  I told him I could not have won if it had not been for him, and
promised to bring him apples in the field every day.  Whenever we spoke
of this time, he transmitted feelings of joy, love, and pride.  Looking
back, one of my fondest memories is of the old horse pulling his cart
through the village, with his tattered third-prize ribbon still hanging
from his harness, where he insisted it stay.  * *

OTHER animals often joined Pickles in our conversations.  We discussed
the weather, and I remember plainly how the cows complained about the
rain.  How they hated the feeling of misery they endured as the cold
rain drizzled over them.  They had no shelter, no place to get away
from the weather.  They told me their favorite time was when the sun
was shining.  You could pass the field and see them looking content,
with their faces inclined toward the warm rays.  My favorite topic for
discussion with my animal friends was the village news, or to put it
more plainly, gossip.  Some animals, the more curious ones, knew
everything about everyone and were eager to tell all.  They accepted
the foibles of their human companions and were not judgmental, but
often they had a hard time understanding the complexities of human
behavior.  They especially didn't understand Tappy, who was unkind to
his wife and children.  The cat at the confectionery told us that no
matter how many times he had beaten her during the week, Tappy always
bought his wife a big box of chocolates when he got paid, to make up
for his rages.  The cat thought it a poor exchange for a life of
terror, and we all agreed.  Following these gossip sessions, I often
got into trouble with my mother for knowing something I wasn't supposed
to know.  If I had been wise, I would have said nothing, but I was just
as eager to share the village gossip with my family as the animals were
to share it with me.  Mother could never track down the source of my
knowledge.  When she asked.  me how I knew so much, and I told her such
and such a dog or cat had told me, she just got angrier.

"Little pigs have big ears," she would say just like my dad, not
realizing how very true her statement was.  * * * ,3, .  -9t.........
ONE day my father came home with three goose eggs and told my mother
they were for me.

He told me if I put them under a chicken and watched them, the eggs
would hatch out.  I was very happy to think I would have my own
geese.

The chicken sat on the goose eggs for a number of weeks, and I made
daily inspections to see if any little goslings had pecked their way
out.  One day I was thrilled to find one already halfway out of its
shell.  Then two days later the other two geese followed.  I finally
felt I had my own little family.  The three goslings, responding to my
love and kindness, followed me everywhere.  I named them after my
favorite flowers of the field; Buttercup, Daisy, and Primrose.  As they
got older, they began to communicate with me like all the other
animals.  We would sit and chat for hours in the field near the
henhouse.  On Saturdays, I dressed up and went with my grandmother on
the bus to nearby Northhampton to help her with the shopping.  I
cherished these times alone with my grandmother and tried to be on my
best behavior.  Still, my geese walked with me to the bus stop, and
waited with me until the bus came, at which point I told them to go
home.  My new dog, Silky, a golden retriever, accompanied the geese.

When the bus pulled away, he saw them safely home.  My geese and Silky
even went with me to school each day, going as, far as the school gate
and waiting until the whistle blew.  When class started, my animals
went back to the field by the henhouse.  At break time they returned to
share a bit of cheese sandwich with me.  After break, they returned
home once again and when the school day was over, I joined them
there.

Some of the other children were amazed at my entourage.  They thought
it was strange having geese as pets, but I didn't care.  With my geese,
I had security and a sense that they belonged to me.  One day, the
geese told me they had something special to share.

Primrose, who was always in charge by virtue of being the largest and
most determined of the three, marched forward, breathless with the news
that Silky was going to have puppies.  She had overheard my father
telling Mr.  Webster that news.  No sooner had she relayed the
information than Buttercup asked me, "What are puppies?"  I explained,
within the confines of my limited understanding, that puppies were baby
dogs put into Silky's tummy one night by a fairy.

"How do they get out?"  Buttercup asked.

"When they are ready, they just pop out," I replied.  Then all three
geese declared they would like to have some puppies too.  I explained
further that geese didn't have puppies; they had baby geese, which came
out in the form of eggs.  This didn't .

sound nearly as intriguing as having puppies in their tummies, so they
all decided to pass on the opportunity to reproduce themselves.  They
declared they would help Silky with her puppies when the time came.

Each evening, my geese went with me while I shut the hens up in the
henhouse.  I told them they had to stay in their little goose house at
night for protection from the foxes.  I told them " foxes did bad
things to geese and hens, so they listened and '%; stayed inside their
little house all night long until I came back and let them out the next
morning.  THIS happy relationship continued for almost nine months.  I"
spent idyllic days in the company of my beloved animals, chattering
away with them about many interesting subjects.  I told them
everything-how I did in school, what were my favorite'

and least favorite subjects-and they listened as if I were the most
fascinating child in the world.  They commiserated with me about my
family problems, and I listened to all their intrigues.  There was a
dog in the village named Hero whom none of them could stand because he
had a bad temper.  They often regaled me with tales of their latest
encounter with that dreadful dog, but compassionately acknowledged that
Hero couldn't help himself because he had a mean human for an owner. My
animals explained to me that most humans did not take the time to talk
with them as I did.  Most humans, they said, could not understand them
when they spoke.  Though I'd had inklings of this, this was my first
actual confirmation that my ability to communicate telepathically with
animals was unusual.  My geese liked being in the field with their
namesakes, the buttercups, clovers and daisies.  I even made them daisy
chains and put one around the neck of each goose and my dog too.  I
made one for myself as well, and people would smile at me with my
menagerie of pets, all bedecked with daisies.  I remember how pleased
the geese were that they didn't have to go to school.  They wondered
why I had to go.  I told them that's just what human children did, that
I had to go to school to learn.

"Learn what?"  they queried.

"You already know everything important."  They couldn't conceive of
making a child sit indoors all day, away from the fields and the
flowers and animals of nature.  They told me they missed my company
while I was in school, and longed for the hour of my return.  I
remember this period as a golden time, surrounded and encompassed by
the love of my animals and my grandmother Robishaw.  I had a feeling of
belonging with her, a feeling I didn't have with the rest of my
family.

I often asked my mother if I had been adopted, because I felt so
different from the rest of my family.  But my grandmother understood
me, understood the incredible gift of animal communication I had been
given, because she herself was very clairvoyant and often had
premonitions.  My grandmother also helped me learn how to communicate
better with humans despite my hearing loss.  As a young woman, she had
worked in the cotton mills at Lancashire.  Normal speech was impossible
because of the noise from the machinery, so the young girls who worked
there learned to read one other's lips.  It was this skill that
Emmaline taught me, and it helped me feel more connected to the human
world.  I began to realize that not all people loved animals as I did,
', nor harbored the same tender feelings.  I wondered why so many
adults believed they were superior to animals.  To me, human behavior
was far worse and more unpredictable than animal behavior and I liked
the animals much more than some humans (and still do).  Animals always
had perfectly reasonable explanations for " everything they did, and
never deliberately hurt one another as " the humans of my acquaintance
often did.  I began to realize that '.," my ability to communicate with
animals was something that no one could understand, much less believe
in, except for my grandmother.  Finally, my family's impatience with my
imaginativeness began to make sense.  They truly did not believe I
could ; talk to animals.  Such a thing was outside their experience.

Then came the Christmas of 1950.  I came home to eat lunch after riding
horses with friends at a nearby farm.  It was a Sunday, '-; and lunch
was a big occasion in England-large meals with, r roasted meat of some
sort, vegetables and stuffing to accompany the meal, and apple pie,
custard or rice pudding for dessert.  This'" particular occasion was
made even grander because it was Christmas so my mother had decided to
prepare a special meal.  I walked into the house and changed for lunch,
being careful to wash my hands and brush my hair before presenting
myself at the table.  When I sat down, my mother came in carrying a
steaming platter, smiling broadly as my father announced, "We've got
goose today!"

Mother put the platter down on the table in front of my father so he
could carve the bird, and then I realized I was looking at one of my
beloved friends who had been killed and served up for this occasion.  I
was stunned.  I couldn't cry or speak, I was so choked with emotion.

Then I felt tears running down my face, and I started sobbing.  I felt
like my heart had been torn in two parts.  I got up and ran away from
the table, out to the garden where my geese always were.  None of them
were there.  I ran to the goose house, but they were not there,
either.

I looked frantically from place to place, visiting all their favorite
haunts, searching desperately for the other two geese.  Finally, I went
into the barn.  There in full view, were my beautiful friends dead
hanging by their feet from the rafters, blood dripping from their
mouths.  My father had killed all three geese, planning to give the
other two as Christmas gifts to families in the village.  Raising stock
for food was a way of life in the English village, particularly just
after the war when meat was in scarce supply and rationing was still in
force.  What my father had done was routine for him and for the other
members of my family.  For me, it was a horror.  I felt all the pain
and terror the geese had felt.  I sat and looked at their dead, cold
bodies and sobbed and sobbed.  A part of me had died with my beloved
friends.  The innocent happiness of my childhood had been cruelly torn
away.  At that moment, overwhelmed with anguish and pain, and knowing I
could not allow myself to feel this heartbreak ever again, I forced a
door in my mind shut for what I thought would be forever.  Though I
still loved my animals and doted upon them,

I would not allow myself to communicate with them in that special way,
so that I could understand their thoughts, feelings and desires, and
tell them my own in return.  It was to protect myself from the anguish
of my little family's horrible deaths that I vowed I would never again
open myself up to an animal's pain and suffering.  My grandmother
helped me perfect my lip-reading skills so' I could function more
easily in the human world, and as I matured I left the world of animal
communication behind.  For the : next forty years, my determination to
forget held firm.

CHAPTER TWO

Animals Tell the Best Gossip The Beginning o, f My Animal Communication
t was the spring of 1994, and I was tired.  I was in my studio in the
Galleria area of Houston, where my daughter, Emma, and I had immigrated
to start a business teaching American and European etiquette.  The
business was going well, but I was putting in lone hours to build it
up.  One day, after a particularly busy morning, I went to sit for a
moment on the sofa in my studio and relax with a cup of coffee.

Suddenly, I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye, so I
turned to look.  Above one of the large mirrors on the wall, I saw a
bright white light building up in the room.  I realized it was the top
half of an angel with large wings.  She had a beautiful and gentle
face.  I knew the angel was going to speak to me.

"You will be doing God's work," the angel said.

"You will be working with and for animals," the angel continued, then
she left.  I sat quietly, wondering what sort of work it would be.  I
was speechless overwhelmed.  I wondered what had just happened.  I

didn't know it yet, but in a matter of weeks, the channel of energy
flowing between me and the animal kingdom would become so powerful it
would completely override my childhood vow to shut out the voices of my
animal friends.  For two weeks, nothing more transpired.  I stayed so
busy with my etiquette business I had little time to contemplate the
angel's visit or what it meant.  At home one morning, I went into my
dressing room to put on my makeup and became aware of a presence behind
me.  Then I asked the visitor, "Who are you?"  And he answered, "I am
St.  Francis, the patron saint of animals.  I am going to be working
with you to help and heal animals."  That was all the saint said.  I
sat down to ponder what the visitations meant.  I was beginning to have
faint recollections from my childhood, faded memories now st ruling
back to life within some forgotten corner in my mind.  Something was
nibbling at the edges of my consciousness-thoughts, feelings I couldn't
quite yet get hold of.  The door was opening a bit further, but it
would still be weeks before I completely grasped the significance of my
two heavenly visitations and began to understan<l what I know now, the
course of my true life's work.  For a few weeks, I was still a bit
puzzled.  I tried to understan<l what St.  Francis had meant when he
told me he was going to be working with me to help and heal animals.  I
remembered an incident that had happened in England before I moved to
America.  Late one evening, my husband, Fitz, had come in and made a
big fuss over our cat, Wellington, who is quite an elegant and
sophisticated animaL As Wellington tried to leave the room a few
minutes later, Bella, our beloved Rhodesian Ridgeback, bit him, drawing
blood from the cat's neck.  The attack amazed me because the animals
had lived together in perfect harmony for years.

When I went to America, Fitz moved from our main house into our guest
apartment.  Wellington preferred to stay in the big house, which he
liked to patrol, while Fitz took Bella to the cottage with him.  The
tenant who rented the big house loved cats and doted upon Wellington.

But the attack bothered me, and it worried me to leave my pets
behind.

After the first year, the tenants left and Fitz moved back into the big
house, putting the two animals back together again for the first time
in a while.  Over in America, I started to worry after I heard this
news, concerned that Bella's obvious jealousy might mean trouble for
Wellington.  I asked Fitz to be especially watchful once the two
animals were reunited, to ensure that Bella did not repeat her
attack.

I expressed my fears to a number of my friends, and one friend
recommended a respected animal communicator known as Florance who lived
in California.  I called and told the woman my story.  She promised she
would try to pick up the animals the next morning after returning from
church.  But the communicator was concerned about the distance involved
as she had never tried to communicate with an animal so far away.  I
reminded her that telepathic communication knew no limits of time or
distance, and was surprised to discover she did not know this.

Florance told me when she was ready to communicate, she just relaxed
and it came to her.  At that point, I wasn't even sure how I knew it,
but understood intuitively that it was so.  I spoke with the conviction
of this belief and Florance agreed to try and get in touch with my
animals to discover the problem.  The next day I rang the communicator
again and discovered that she had, in fact, been able to get in touch
with my pets in England.  To my astonishment, we found Bella blamed
herself for my departure to America, assuming I had left home because I
was angry about the attack on Wellington.  According to the

2E> SONYA "FITZPATRIGK "

communicator, Bella was very upset about my absence, and e wanted to
know when I would return to England.  Wellington told Florance he
wasn't bothered about Bella's jealousy; he just stayed out of her
way.

But he did miss me and also wanted to ,: know when I would return.  I
realized the information the woman had given me was absolutely
accurate, completely typical of my two pet's disparate ,
personalities.

The incident turned a key in my mind and made " me waken to some
forgotten memory; I knew I could do this ""y sort of work too.  I
decided to test my own powers of animal communication.;',.  I
remembered I had once been able to do this with ease, and suspected
this gift was what St.  Francis had been referring to'a when he told me
I would be helping animals.  "" Each day at the same time, I started to
speak to my animals: I visualized my home in England, and tried to
speak to Bella and g Wellington.  I kept the conversation up for two
weeks with outr as receiving anything back, but I kept trying.  I had
promised myself iI would keep trying for three months to see if the
experiment :: would work.  One evening, I was booked as the speaker at
a social gathering ," for a businesswomen's club in Houston.  Just
before dinner was " served, I suddenly heard my dog, Bella, speaking to
me telepathically.

"Why haven't you answered me?"  Bella demanded.

"I've been ;" talking and talking to you and you haven't answered.  Are
you still angry at me because I bit Wellington?"  I practically jumped
from my chair.  I told my daughter, Emma; who knew I had been trying to
establish contact with my pets, that Bella had suddenly come through
and was talking to me and sending me pictures.  It was my first
realization that animals communicate primarily by transmitting pictures
of what they are talking about.

"When are you coming home?"  Bella wanted to know.

"We all miss you.  Everybody here is sad without you."

I was overjoyed to hear my dog's voice.  Suddenly Wellington chimed in
with all the gossip of my village back home.  In his wanderings about
Aston Lee Wall, the inquisitive cat had picked up the local tidbits.

He told me that Daisy, an elderly woman in the village, had gone into
the hospital, a fact that I verified in my next telephone conversation
with Fitz.  Bella then complained that the cleaning lady didn't clean
the house the same way that "Mummy" cleaned it and I laughed.  Bella
also said Fitz was very annoyed because the car had broken down, and
that she was very sad because my mother, who had been to stay for a few
weeks, had returned to her own home and Bella missed her.  All this was
going on in a roomful of women who were expecting, within a matter of
minutes, a speech on the finer points of etiquette.  I could not get
over my amazement.  Somehow, I had known that I could do it, that I had
the gift of communicating with animals through mind energy, but I
couldn't explain how I knew this.  I gathered myself and stood to walk
to the podium.  I tried to organize my thoughts for my speech while
Bella and Wellington's voices were still ringing in my mind.  I thought
briefly that if I told my audience of my incredible experience, some
would think I was stark raving mad.  I delivered my speech, but I
couldn't wait to get into the car with Emma, to discuss what had
happened with Bella and Wellington.  From that time on, I talked to my
animals every day.  Wellington continued in his role of village gossip,
while Bella tried to determine when I would be coming home.  I asked
them to love and take care of one another, and Fitz reported a change
in the former rivals' relationship.  Then one day, Bella reported being
cross with Wellington because he had killed a bird and put it under a
table in the house.  Bella told the mighty hunter off, reminding him
that I didn't like it either when he stalked birds.  Fitz reported that
Bella barked and barked at Wellington the day he killed the bird.  I
was daily becoming more convinced of the accuracy of my communication
with my animals.  Everything they told me Fitz confirmed, and I had no
other possible way to get the information that Bella and Wellinton
transmitted during their daily conversations.  When Fitz relayed the
story of Bella's anger with Wellington, suddenly the reason for the
previous attack became clear to me.  Each year, the swallows returned
from Africa to nest in the old barns, stables, and outbuildings on our
property.  It was an event that filled us with joy, not only because of
the beauty of the birds, but because their return signaled the end of
the long, cold English winter, and the promise of warm, sunny spring
days ahead.  We looked forward to the return of the swallows each
spring, and to the birth of their babies as they nested on our land.

We sat in our beautiful cottage garden each evening, surrounded by
fragrant lupines, hollyhocks, honeysuckle and tree roses, enjoying a
glass of wine and the soaring flight of the swallows.  I knew that many
of the swallows perished along the way, so I felt a special
responsibility to care for the survivors who showed up faithfully in my
garden each spring.  When the baby swallows were learning to fly, many
of them dropped into the grass, a perfect opportunity for a marauding
cat.  I always tried to keep Wellington in the house during the few
days the babies were testing their wings.  But Wellington,

like all cats, would manage to find a way out.  His hunting instinct
was deeply ingrained.  One day Wellington killed two baby swallows and
that upset me very much.  Bella heard me scolding him and became angry
because she knew Wellington had done something to anger me.

LInbeknownst to us, she decided to try and help with this problem.  She
took it upon herself to punish Wellington for his transgressions and
that was the reason she went for him, not jealousy as I had incorrectly
supposed.  Of course, I had no way of knowing Bella's line of reasoning
at the time, because I had not yet reestablished my ability to
communicate with animals telepathically.  As my confidence in my
ability to communicate with animals grew, I began to share with a few
close friends the details of the remarkable thing that had happened to
me.

When I first started my animal-communication business, not many of my
friends knew exactly what I was doing.  They thought of me as a British
etiquette expert, and there was not always a convenient time or place
to tell them how my life was changing as I was led more and more toward
working full-time with animals.  Then Stacey, my friend who had
recommended the animal communicator in California, asked me to talk to
her two cats, Hubert and Leonard, to see if I could help with a couple
of behavioral problems that had developed.  I agreed, feeling ready to
tackle whatever assignment St.  Francis might send my way.  I knew I
had embarked on my true life's mission.

_._..._._..  Y V._...._.._

CHAPTER THREE

Human Emotions Your Pets Knou Just How You Feel one of the most
difficult things for humans to understand is the powerful effect their
own emotions can have on the behavior and outlook of their animal
companions.  Animals feel everything that we feel; they sense when
their humans are happy, sad, discouraged, excited, or angry and react
accordingly.  Frequently, when I am called to consult on an animal's
problem behavior, I can trace the source of the difficulty right back
to some upset or change that has happened within the family.  Or, in
the case of rescued animals, it may be that the change has brought back
a traumatic memory from their past.  When I talk to the animal and ask
him what he is trying to let his human companion know with his changed
behavior, I find that he will tell me.  A death, a divorce, the birth
of a baby, a change of house, illness, financial difficulties, conflict
or deadlines at work any of the hundred problems that can beset us--can
also deeply affect our animal friends.  Remember that animals gather
information telepathically.  When you are worried or upset about
something, an image of

THE PET PSYCH1C 31

that worry forms within your mind and transmits out from your
imagination like a radio beam.  Your pet picks up all these silent
communications and for him they are even more powerful than your spoken
words.  So even though you may think that you are hiding your thoughts
and feelings from your pets, you really are not.  They know everything,
and if you are upset and harboring a lot of powerful negative emotions,
this will surely affect your pet as well as yau are transmitting those
feelings out like a radio all the time, beaming pictures that you form
in your mind, as well as your thoughts and feelings.  So, if you and
your spouse are thinking of ending your marriage, your pet sees the
images that have already formed in your mind of you living apart from
your mate, and it is very confusing and upsetting to him because he
does not understand human concepts like divorce.  Llsually, the animal
loves both of you and the thought of being separated from one of you is
traumatic.  All they know is that their cozy situation is changing
because you are both angry and unhappy, and that is very unsettling to
our animal companions.  It's a very sad situation for pets when a
family breaks apart, but all too often, humans fail to take their
animal companion's feelings into account during times of crisis like a
divorce and this can lead to behavioral problems.  Many animals react
to this sort of stress by acting out.  Pets that have always been
perfectly well-behaved will start soiling and chewing in an effort to
show their displeasure with the unhappy emotions swirling through their
homes.  But it doesn't have to be anything as dramatic as a divorce
that sets your pet off.  Sometimes it can be something as simple as
jealousy.  If they decide you are spending too much time with the new
puppy or kitten and not enough time with them, you can be sure that
problems will ensue.  They will find a way to let you know they are not
pleased with the current situation, and then it is up to

32 SONYA ITZPATRICK

you to work out the exact nature of the problem and effect a remedy. We
humans tend to make decisions based solely upon our own needs and
desires and frequently fail to take into account the needs and desires
of our animal companions.  Yet everything we do, every decision we
make, has the potential to affect our pets dramatically.  You may walk
by a pet store and see a puppy that appeals to you and impulsively
decide to take him home, little stopping to consider what effect this
"interloper" will have on the pets you already have in your home.  To
prevent this sort of problem, always talk to the animal you already
have in your home and ask him to help you take care of the new
arrival.

Remember your pet is always in tune with your energy line so you can
ask him for his help right from the pet store before you even bring the
new pet home.  You may decide to move to a bigger house, failing to
take into account that your pet loves the park by the old house where
you take your daily walks together.  Or perhaps your relationship ,
isn't working out so you decide to leave your partner, but your pet
that loves you both can't understand why one of you is gone:"'" Does
this mean you should never get a new pet, never chance " house or
romantic partner?  Of course not.  It simply means you must prepare
your pet for the inevitable changes and upsets that occur in our
lives.

Talk to him using the images and feelings it', your mind, and be sure
to send him feelings of love and ask for his help during the
transition.  This will change your pet's feelings of doubt and fear
because he will no longer feel left out.  The first thing to do is to
work out when the problem started because there is always a
relationship between the start of the problem and the event that
triggered it.  For example, if your cat that has always been fastidious
in his litter box habits suddenly starts going outside the box the day
after you bring home your first baby, you can feel quite certain that
the difficulty is connected to the jealousy and uncertainty he feels
about this baby who seems to be taking up so much of your time.  Always
acknowledge that he is doing the soiling, then tell him you understand
why it has occurred.  Don't be angry with him; just love him.  Look
into his eyes and tell him you understand what he is telling you and he
does not need to do this anymore.  Then see in your imagination what
you want him to do in the future.  If your dog started chewing up shoes
within the week after your son leaves for college and has never done
that sort of thing before, it's easy to imagine it is his response to
missing the child who may have been his companion for years.  The shoes
have a familiar scent to them and chewing on them gives the dog
comfort.  A little understanding and compassion goes a long way in such
situations.  Put yourself in your pet's place and try to understand
what they are feeling.  If you can do that, you will be able to come up
with sensible solutions to whatever problems you may have with your
animal companions.  The problem may be something that to you seems
absolutely inconsequential, but rest assured your pet doesn't view it
that way.  For example, I have had clients whose animal companions
became very upset simply because their owners changed what they fed
them, or moved the location of their bed or basket.  One dog was piqued
because his groomer had switched the color of his ribbon from red to
blue; another because he wanted a bandana and not a ribbon.  As comical
as it may seem to us, it was a very important issue to the dog who was
determined to go right on relieving himself on the Oriental rug until
he got his blue ribbon back.  Just realizing that it really can be
something as simple as this causing your pet's change in behavior can
put You ahead of the came.

34 SONYA ITZPATRIGK

You may be wondering why animals are so sensitive to changes in their
environment, It's because, like us, they are crdatures of habit and
they like their familiar comforts.  When something changes, often the
only way they have to let us know how they feel is to misbehave,
because they know that mischief will certainly attract our attention.

They don't mind what type o attention you give them, good or bad; just
as long as you give them your attention.  Even if their behavior has
caused you to become angry, at least you are listening to them. Animals
often become confused by the difference in your spoken words and the
mental images you are projecting.  For example, if you shout, "Don't
chew on the rug!"  at the same time you are projecting out a picture of
your dog chewing on the rug, how are they to choose between the two
conflicting commands?  Llsually they go with the telepathic image
because it is stronger and more readily understandable to them than tla
.

spoken word.  When you see in your mind's eye your dog chewing on the
rug, that is language your dog readily under star " and he will chew on
the rug.  That is why I emphasize the i" portance of matching your
mental images to your spoken words' to avoid upsetting your pet.  Be
positive with your thoughts an mental images.  Picture him doing what
you want him to di instead of what you don't want.  Animals are not
familiar with the human concept of deceit;' therefore it is imperative
that you are always honest with them.  If you fib to get them into
their carrier by telling them they are going to the park and yet they
are receiving the clear image of the visit to the vet that you actually
have in your mind, they may learn to distrust you.  If you always tell
your animals the truth, even if it is something they may not want to
hear, then they will learn that you can be trusted implicitly. Remember
that animals are very intelligent.  If you take the

THE "PET PSYCHIG 3$

time to explain a given situation to them-such as why they have to go
to the vet, or that you are going out of town for the weekend but you
will be back in two days-they will be much more likely to settle down
and accept what is happening without complaint.  Always be sure to tell
them how much you love them, and assure them that you have their best
interests at heart and all your decisions are made with those interests
uppermost in your mind.  1f you do this, then the love and trust
between you and your animal companions will grow ever stronger.

Sometimes pets behave badly as a show of loyalty to their owners.  A
friend's daughter, Meghan, had just graduated from college and moved
into her first apartment with her college roommate.  The girls had
always had a good relationship, but after they moved into the apartment
various tensions arose, and the problems only got worse after Meghan
brought home a rescue dog and named her Sadie.  Meghan is a great
animal lover and three years in a college dorm without the company of a
dog had been very difficult for her to accept, so she was most eager to
have an animal companion in her life once again.  Her roommate didn't
dislike dogs, but simply did not have the patience that Meghan had when
it came to dealing with the dog's accidents and constant chewing.

Meghan enrolled the dog in an obedience class and over the course of
months, with love and consistent training, Sadie turned into a
delightful companion.  The accidents became a thing of the past.  With
Meghan's love, Sadie was able to overcome her fear of people, caused by
the fact that she had been so abused in her first home, and she and
Meghan established a deep and loving bond and trust.  Llnfortunately,
things were not going as well with the room mate.  She and Meghan
frequently had verbal sparring matches, mostly over minor things, but
the problems were grating to both girls.  The cause was a simple
difference in temperament, and it could have easily been worked out
except that both girls were being a bit stubborn and self-righteous.

Finally came the day when there was a huge shouting match :f Poor
little Sadie was quaking as she listened to the shouting, the ri she
finally determined she had to do something about it.  Gathr ering her
courage about her, the small dog marched into this roommate's bedroom
where the fight was in progress, caught the attention of the roommate,
and then staring her full in the face-"' squatted and relieved herself
on an expensive decorative rug.  A P first the roommate was enraged,
then suddenly the two girls became quite sheepish, for they realized
their constant fighti " was childish, and having a very bad effect on
poor Sadie.  The."" burst out laughing and were able to restore their
friendship t" its former comfortable state, thanks to Sadie's
intervention.  It took a lot of courage for this small dog to step in
bet wee " two squabbling humans, but in essence, this is what our pets
ar' doing whenever they act out; they are trying to draw our attention
to something they believe is important.  She was asking them "Please
don't fight.  It upsets me."  That day Sadie taught bo these girls a
valuable lesson-love, not anger, please.  One of the most frequent
causes of upset in our animals is that we humans are fickle beings.

Often, when we get a pet, we cannot make up our minds whether or not
we're going to keep it.  This indecision communicates itself directly
to the animal and results in a lot of misery and stress for them.  Can
you imagine how unhappy you would be if from day to day, you didn't
know if you would be allowed to stay on in your own home or given away
to someone else?  Animals under this sort of strain will frequently
resort to misbehaving as a way of drawing attention to themselves.  I
resolved a problem for a lady on my television show whose bird was
pecking out its feathers.  She was unable to understand why the bird
was doing this, but it communicated to me that it didn't know if it was
going to be allowed to stay in the woman's home or not.  The lady
confessed that she was in fact undecided about keeping the bird and was
surprised when I told her that the bird knew this and was pecking out
its feathers as a form of protest because it loved the lady and very
much wanted to stay with her.  The woman immediately told me that she
didn't realize what had been going on and assured me that she would
keep the bird.  After I told the bird that its future was secure, it
stopped pulling out its feathers and they grew back as beautiful as
before.  As I mentioned earlier, animals make little distinction
between positive and negative human attention.  Of course your animal
would prefer to snuggle on your lap, but if you don't make yourself
available for their companionship, they will resort to more outrageous
means to grab your attention.  Lincoln My friend Alexandra has a lovely
Blue-crested Conure named Lincoln.  While Lincoln is generally a very
well-behaved bird, whenever Alexandra's job required her to spend long
hours away from home, she would return only to find that Lincoln had
shredded his "bed buddy" in her absence.  (Bed buddies are small,
stuffed pillows that parrots and other large birds enjoy snuggling with
while they sleep.) It was his way of letting her know that he missed
her company when she was gone for so long.  Now,

when she has to work late, Alexandra knows to remove the bed buddy from
Lincoln's cage before she leaves home in the morning, and she also
makes sure to spend extra quality time with him when she returns.

Animals do not understand that their misbehavior does not help them;

they only know that it gets them the attention they desire from the
humans they love.  If your pet suddenly develops a new behavioral
problem, review the events of the past few days in your household and
you will likely find the key to the mystery right there, along with a
solution.  Just remember that our pets feel our emotions as strongly as
we do and don't forget to take their feelings into account when
unexpected events change the course of our lives.  Introducing a Baby
into Your Household When you have your first baby, it is the most
exciting time in your life, however, the introduction of a baby into a
previously tranquil household can precipitate a variety of behavioral
problems with your pet.  Displays of jealousy, destructive behavior,
soiling, wetting, barking, hissing and even nipping can result, All too
often a family gives up their beloved pet because they are fearful for
the safety of the baby when all that is required is a bit of thoughtful
planning in advance to make the transition a smooth one.  I always find
it is easier to understand your pet's behavior and thinking if you put
yourself in its place.  Think how you would feel after years of being
cosseted and doted upon, to be suddenly shoved completely aside in
favor of the screaming, squalling bundle of energy that is a baby.  It
is devastating for pets when this happens because it makes them feel
like they are no longer loved, and they cannot understand what they
have done to fall out of favor.  In a situation like this, it is
natural for pets to start blaming a new baby for their perceived loss
of status, and behavioral problems are sure to follow if you don't
prepare them ahead of time.  Many of my clients ask me exactly how to
prepare their furry friends for the arrival of a new baby.  There are
several things to do.  First, if you have a friend who has a baby, get
her to record the sounds the baby makes and then play them back to your
animals.

This way when the baby arrives, his cries and the other sounds that a
baby makes will already be familiar to your pets.  Before your bring
your baby home from the hospital, send a blanket home with your husband
that has been wrapped around your baby and allow your animals to lie on
the blanket so that they may become familiar with the baby's scent.

Finally, when you do bring the baby home, always bring your animals
into the room with the baby and make a big fuss over them.  Tell them
how they are helping you to take care of the baby and how you could not
manage without them.  Then when you put the baby back down to sleep,
don't make a fuss over your pets until you pick the baby back up
again.

If you make a fuss over them and give them treats each time you talk to
the baby or have the baby in your arms, then your animal friends will
come to associate the baby with good times, and they will feel joy over
the baby's addition to the household because you have taken care to
keep reassuring them that even though there is a new baby in the house,
they are still a very special part of your life too.  Because animal
babies are so much better able to care for themselves right from the
moment of birth, it can be quite difficult for our pets to fully
understand just how helpless human infants can be.  Animals do not
understand that our babies cannot walk and depend upon us for
absolutely everything.  When they see us fussing over a new baby they
feel neglected and shut out.  , .  e va

Just as a child who craves his mother's company will often do something
naughty to grab her attention, so too will an animal who is feeling
ignored contrive some way to gain your notice.  All of these
difficulties can be avoided if you take steps to include your animal
companion in the excitement of the new addition to the family.  First
you must explain to your pets as you would to a child about the
impending birth.  Take care to assure them that the new arrival will in
no way reduce them in your affection, while also explaining that your
new duties as a parent may sometimes limit the amount of free time you
have.  It can;:' also be quite helpful to ask for your pet's help in
caring for the' baby.  Include him in the day-to-day care of the baby
and thank" him.  Animals love to feel they are sharing in the joy of
looking !"  after a new arrival.  If you assign them a role and make
them " feel important, your animal companions will welcome the baby
just as warmly as you do.  As they form a loving bond with your baby,
you will find that they become quite protective of the infant.  I had
one client who reported that her female cat began to act quite
aressively toward her when she became pregnant.  She consulted me
because she thought the change in the cat's behavior was due to her
pregnancy.  But when I connected to the cat's energy, I felt no
jealousy, only a feeling of serious illness, nausea and weakness.  I
sensed that the cat had cancer and her new, aggressive behavior was her
way of trying to tell her owner that something was wrong and she needed
help.  My client took her cat to the vet that afternoon.  He confirmed
the diagnosis and immediately began treatment to relieve the cat's
symptoms.  As the cat felt better, her aggressiveness decreased.  The
timing of the change in her behavior and the beginning of her human
companion's pregnancy was only coincidental.  Some people make the
mistake of only spending quality time

THE PET PSYCHIC 41 II

Ii,y with their pets when their baby is napping.  This leads animals to
associate the baby's appearance with the end of playtime, and once
again, jealous feelings can arise.  Try instead to ignore your pet
while baby is sleeping; don't play with it and don't pay it il much
attention.  Make a big fuss over both the baby and the pet when the
baby wakes up so that your pet will look forward to the baby's
awakening.  This will reinforce the idea that the baby i is an
enjoyable addition to the household.  My own daughter, Emma, just had
practical experience of this idea.  She recently welcomed home her
first baby and my I' I' first granddaughter-our beautiful little
Emily.

We prepared for Emily's arrival by telling Emma's two cats, Cinnamon
and Raisin, how much we needed their help to care for the baby.  By the
ii yi;' a i time Emily came home from the hospital, both cats were
bursting with excitement and anticipation Emma has been careful to
lavish attention on the cats whenever Emily is awake.  In this fashion
the cats have learned to associate the baby's presence with the most
pleasant time of their day.  Both cats have behaved splendidly toward
Emily because they regard her as a positive addition to the family
instead of as an unwelcome interloper.  While this may sound strange to
you at first, remember I am thinking from the pet's point of view.  If
you make sure to inI clu de your pet in the frenzy of activity that
surrounds the months leading up to the birth of a baby, you will find
them helpful and protective when you bring the baby home instead of
fearful and jealous.  It does not have to be an "either/or" situation. 
People who love their animals would find it very hard to give up their
j "baby in a fur coat."  It is up to you to prepare your animal i, I
properly to not only accept a new baby, but also to understand that the
baby is as much a part of the family as the pet.

If you do this, you should have smooth sailing and find that your pet
can be relied upon to help you care for and protect your baby.

TEACH YOLIR CHILD TO RESPECT YOLIR PETS

Families who have done a good job of introducing a baby to them
household sometimes stumble when it comes to teaching that baby how to
interact with pets.  As babies grow and become toddlers and become more
mobile, a whole new dynamic emerges in your house.  Your pets have been
used to having the baby confined and under control and suddenly this
wild little person has the run of the house, pulling tails, upsetting
food dishes and grabbing the pet's favorite toys.  Time once again for
a bit of planning and intervention.  If you teach your child to treat
all living creatures with love and respect, you will not have any
problems.

But of course, you must first get your toddler through those trying
years when he is exploring and learning, and no is his favorite word.

Make sure there is a safe place for your animal friend to go when your
baby starts toddling around.  If you have a crate with the door open
for your animal companion, make sure the baby cannot crawl inside while
your pet is sleeping as he needs to have his own private, secure
space.

If an animal is suddenly startled awake from sleep he will snap at
whatever is near out of fear, uncertainty and surprise, never intending
to hurt your child.  Teach your child to respect a pet's quiet times,
and if necessary, make sure your child cannot intrude upon your pet's
privacy.  Having a toddler in the house can be stressful for all
concerned, and our animal companions need to get away from time to time
and relax on their own too.  During your son's or daughter's transition
from infant to toddler to young child, you must take steps to protect
your pets from your child or children, just as you took steps to
protect your baby when you first brought it home.  First, you must
never allow your child to take your pet's toys or food dishes, both for
sanitary and safety reasons.  Second, make it quite clear that no
shouting, hitting, kicking, squeezing or tail pulling will be tolerated
at all.  Teach your child to handle the pet gently and lovingly,
speaking in soft words to assure the pet that all is well.  Remind them
that sometimes a pet simply does not want to be picked up and petted
and they must respect that.  If your children have trouble
understanding why they cannot grab the pet any time they want, tell
them to put themselves in the pet's place and ask how they would feel
getting scooped up willy-nilly into your arms in the middle of lunch,
or dragged away while they were playing a game or watching a video?

This will help your child to understand that pets have daily agendas
just as people do and it is important for us to respect both their
wishes and their moods.

INTRODLICING NEW PETS TO YOLIR CHILDREN

When toddlers reach the point where they can stand and walk, some
parents think this is the ideal time to rush right out and get a new
puppy or kitten, so that the baby and the pet can "grow up together."

This is a bad idea.  Toddlers simply do not have the self-control or
presence of mind to understand how to treat a pet properly.  A young
child can easily squeeze a tiny kitten or puppy almost to death in an
excess of love and enthusiasm.  No pet should ever be put through such
a traumatic experience.  It is far better to wait until your child has
reached school age to introduce a new pet.  At five or six years, a
child has much better self-control and a greater understanding of
themselves and their strength.  They also are less egocentric and have
more awareness of the animal's needs and rights.  While some families
insist on getting a puppy or kitten, it might be a better idea at this
stage to adopt a one- or two-year old animal from a shelter for your
child's first pet.  Such animals are usually already trained and are
eager to find loving families.

Older animals are better able to defend themselves from potential
mistreatment and can also do a better job of defending your child from
an outside threat such as a roving dog pack or a bully, I recommend
against getting an unusual pet for young children.  Most exotic animals
have quite specific care requirements, and it can be difficult for a
young child to follow these routines consistently.  The pet's physical
and psychological health can suffer if they are not fed and cared for
properly, so unless you intend to take on all the pet's requirements
yourself, it probably would be wisest to choose an animal whose needs
are less exacting, such as a dog or cat.  This is not to say that cats
and dogs don't have specific care requirements as well, only that
fulfilling those requirements is somewhat easier with animals that have
been domesticated for thousands of years and whose needs are
well-documented.  Do, in fact, teach your child how to take care of a
pet, to regularly provide fresh food and water, along with daily
grooming and exercise or playtime.  But also understand that
ultimately, you have to be the responsible one as children do become
lazy and lose interest very quickly when it comes o the daily
requirements of pet care as the novelty of looking after the animal
wears off.  As the responsible adult in the household, you must take
every step necessary to ensure your pet's continued well-being.

Sometimes the problem is not between your child and your pet, but
between two or more of your pets.  We'll discuss practical solutions to
fighting and jealousy among your animal companions in the next
chapter.

"..: .

CHAPTER "FOUR

No Bad Pets FiBhting and Other Behavioral Problems perhaps no problem
is more distressing to pet owners than when a beloved and normally
well-behaved pet starts acting up in ways that are unusual.  Just as
upsetting is when once peaceful housemates start fighting.  Many of my
clients consult me with this type of problem, and they are usually so
distraught it has brought them to the brink of giving up the animal for
adoption or, in the case of an animal that is biting or attacking,
having it put to sleep.  Of course, no animal lover wants to do that.

Like all problems with animals, undesirable behavior can be solved by
employing a bit of keen observation to try and determine what has upset
your animal.  Remember, animals are like children in that they crave
our attention and affection.  When they feel they are being ignored,
they can certainly find ways to get the attention they desire, and they
really don't care whether it is positive or negative attention.  All
they know is that if they misbehave, their owner who has been
overlooking them will sit up and take notice of the pet.  The worse the
lack of attention is, the worse you can expect your pet's behavior to
become.

You can tell many things about your pet's mood just by observing its
body language, which is easy to read and requires no special training
to interpret.  If your pet's ears are down, or it goes down on its
tummy and has a forlorn look about its face," you can be sure something
is upsetting your animal.  You do not have to have any special gifts to
observe your pet, just the ability to think about the circumstances
that led up to the start of the behavior problem.  When you identify an
element that has changed, more than likely you have discovered the
cause of the misbehavior.  Animals are concerned about any change in
their household.  Often pet owners make changes and important decisions
without considering how it will affect their pets.  Remember that pets
are very sensitive to the human emotions swirling around them.  It is
important to tell your pets the truth about any changes in the
household.  Help them to understand the situation, particularly if the
change is to be permanent, as in the case of a divorce or death in the
family.  Even when the change is not necessarily permanent, as when a
child leaves for college, it is important to let your pet know what is
happening.  If you fail to explain to a pet why a change;" is taking
place, the animal has a tendency to blame itself for the problem, as in
the case of my Bella, thinking her attack on Wellington was what caused
me to leave home for America.  Hubert My friend Stacey, who is normally
quite sensitive to her pets' needs, called me with a problem she was
having with her cat Hubert.  Hubert is one of a pair of grey tabby
brothers, and is somewhat temperamental and high-strung, while his
brother, Leonard, is more laid back.  The two cats were used to
sleeping -..

with Stacey every night.  This arrangement was mutually satisfactory
for both human and cats.  Suddenly, Hubert started waking Stacey around
three nM.  in the morning by jumping on her chest.  If that didn't have
the desired effect, he would go to the mini blinds over the dresser and
rattle them with his paws, almost as if he were playing a xylophone,
until Stacey had no choice but to get up from the bed to stop him.  She
was becoming angrier with each passing night, and getting cross from
lack of sleep.  In desperation, she called me and asked for help.  At
that point, I was still experimenting with communicating with my own
animals, Bella and Wellington.  But I agreed to try and help.  I was
surprised at how easily I connected telepathically with the cats.  I
asked Hubert why he was being so naughty and waking up his mommy every
night.  He quickly told me he was angry because Stacey hadn't been
spending much time at home lately.  In fact, he said, Stacey hardly
ever spent any time with them anymore, so he woke her up in the middle
of the night because then he was sure he would have her full, if angry,
attention, which he thought was better than no attention at all. Hubert
seemed to realize he had an attentive audience, so he continued to list
his complaints.  He was upset because it had been a while since Stacey
had served tuna fish, his favorite food.  He wanted tuna more often, he
told me, and couldn't understand why they didn't have it anymore.  He
also was missing his little red ball, which had disappeared some time
earlier, and he wanted a new ball to replace the missing one.  Finally,
he complained that he had a new scratching post, and he liked his old
one better.  I called Stacey and told her what Hubert had told me, and
she admitted that her work had been greatly occupying her attention
lately.  She said she arrived home late, and then, once home, was so
exhausted she hadn't been giving her two cats their accustomed
playtime.  She was also surprised to realize she had inadvertently
dropped tuna from the cats' diet.  She had run out and simply hadn't
had a chance to go to the store where she bought her favorite brand.

She realized she hadn't served it to the cats in almost three months.

She laughed when I told her about the red ball, and told her that
Hubert kept it with him constantly.  Quite neat by nature, Stacey said
she had thrown the ball out because it was looking so shabby, never
realizing it would upset Hubert.  She promised to pay more attention to
the cats, and to go straight out and buy some tuna and a new red ball,
and to bring back the old, favored scratching post.

I then told Stacey she had to make sure and spend adequate time with
her pets on a regular basis, or the problem would persist.  I also told
Hubert he mustn't wake Stacey up in the middle of the night.  Hubert
agI-eed to behave himself, but only if Stacey would spend more time
with him during the evening hours.  He also insisted that Stacey had to
give him her entire attention.  That interested me.  He told me that
even when Stacey , spent time with him, often she was in the kitchen or
the bath."  room attending to other business, without her full
attention on him.  He transmitted a picture to me of the way he wanted
Stacey to communicate with him, face-to-face.  Stacey started laughing
when I described the transmission, admitting she often did talk to her
pets from another room while she was cooking or washing or putting on
her makeup.  This partial attention didn't bother Leonard at all, who
was quite certain of Stacey's love and unconcerned if she missed the
occasional ear scratch.  But Hubert, who has a more insecure nature,
simply wasn't going to put up with this lack of attention a moment
longer without retaliating to let Stacey know he was upset.  I told
Stacey atypical behavior is one of the few ways that animals have to
get their owner's attention when they don't like something that is
going on.  Stacey made the requested changes, pulling Hubert into her
lap for a cuddle each night.  Tuna was reintroduced to the diet, and a
new red ball obtained.  Within a few days, Hubert's nocturnal rampages
stopped and he resumed his former exemplary behavior.  It is important
to make sure the time you give to your animal provides quality
attention.  Make sure you go down to their level on the floor or bring
them into your lap, establish eye contact and give them your whole
attention, petting and talking to them.  Remember that animals are very
sensitive to materials.  They like the feel of some fabrics more than
others.  If the fabric of your garment is slippery or rough, your pet
may not wish to lie down or sit in your lap.  Cats love to knead cloth,
particularly soft blankets and comforters.  Some people have a problem
with cats scratching their furniture.  Scratching is both natural and
necessary for cats to keep their claws healthy.  I am completely
opposed to the declawing of cats.  It is inhumane and causes horrible
pain, and often produces a cat that bites, as they have no other
defense after their claws are removed.  This is another example of an
animal behavior problem that is produced by a mistake on the part of
the human.  Often scratching is a result of poor training (or no
training) or the use of an inadequate scratching post.  Scratching
posts should be substantial, tall and wide enough to bear the weight of
the cat without wobbling as he stretches his body and exercises his
claws.  It is important for the board to be big enough for a cat to
hook its claws in the top while stretching his entire body and
exercising all his muscles.  Cats cannot scratch properly on a round,
narrow scratching post.  When that is all that is provided,

cats will often prefer to scratch a sofa or chair, especially if they
;_' haven't been trained that scratching furniture is undesirable
behavior There is a simple, humane way to train cats away from
furniture Keep a spray mister of room-temperature tap water handy, and
whenever your cat scratches furniture, say "No!"  sharply, spritz it
with water, and take it to its scratching board.  The hissing sound of
the sprayer and the wet water combine to give your cat a most
unpleasant experience, at least in its estimation.  Eventually, they
learn that the furniture is off-limits.  But remember, this training
will work properly only if you provide an adequate alternative
scratching surface.  Pebbles I was called by my client Luan, a lovely
Chinese lady whose pets I had worked with many times.  She was upset
because Pebbles, one of her three cats, had suddenly forced Timmy,
another of her cats, into a corner and wouldn't let him come out.

Every time poor Timmy tried to leave the corner, Pebbles would attack
him, biting and scratching, until Timmy had no choice but to retreat.

The one time Luan tried to intervene, Pebbles had bitten her, too-a
fact that amazed her, because in their seven years together the cat had
never been anything other than a loving and gentle companion.  I
connected to Pebbles telepathically.  He was very angry.  I asked him
why he was upset and he sent me back a funny sensation in my nose, and
a picture of Timmy.  I asked Pebbles, "Why are you attacking Timmy?"

Pebbles responded quite simply, "Timmy has a strange scent.  If he
moves out of the corner he will make everywhere smell strange."

The explanation for the uncomfortable feeling in my nose was clear, but
I still didn't know why Pebbles had bitten Luan.

"Why did you bite Luan, Pebbles?  You have never bitten before."

"If she had picked Timmy up, she would have smelled like him, so I bit
her to keep her from picking him up," Pebbles said.  Seen from the
point of view of the animal, it was all so logical.  I asked Luan if
she had put a new spray or powder on Timmy and she told me she'd bought
a new homeopathic flea remedy because Timmy had a terrible infestation
of fleas, and she was afraid to use a poison on him.  I wondered when
she had employed the new treatment and she told me a few days before.

Then I asked her if this was when Pebbles had changed his behavior
toward Timmy, and she answered that it was.  Compared to most cats,
Pebbles has a heightened sense of smell.  I reminded Luan of a previous
incident with Pebbles when he had reacted to the scent of a new perfume
she had started wearing by refusing to come near her.  Apparently, the
odor of the flea remedy was also offensive to his sensitive nose.

"It smells okay to me," Luan said, "and it has gotten rid of the
fleas."

"Well, it doesn't smell okay to Pebbles," I told her.

"You did not put this preparation on him?"  Luan said she had not
because Pebbles did not have a flea problem.  I then explained that the
awful smell was what had upset Pebbles and caused him to attack both
her and Timmy.  I advised her to bathe Timmy immediately with plain
water and a gentle shampoo to get rid of the smell, and also to
thoroughly wash her hands.  I told her not to use this remedy again.

Luan called me a few days later to explain that once she bathed Timmy
and got rid of the smell, things went back to normal at her house, with
the two cats resuming their close, iy loving relationship.  While we
are on the subject of fleas, I want to mention the chemical flea
poisons which are so popular.  While they certainly kill fleas on
contact, they are also toxic to your dogs and cats, and also some
people.  There are many cases where an application of a flea spray,
powder, or dip has produced tragic results.  These deadly chemicals
accumulate in your pets' bodies, and can affect their lungs, heart,
intestines, skin, liver, and kidneys.  Many animals have died due to a
toxic buildup of these chemicals in their bodies over a period of time.
Though Luan was certainly right to try a homeopathic remedy to combat
her flea problem, Pebbles simply didn't appreciate the one she
selected, so she will try others until she finds one that is
suitable.

I use a simple trick to keep my house free of fleas without the use of
poisons.  Fleas are attracted to light, so I put a small lightbulb
above a bowl of soapy water in every room.  When they try to jump up to
the light, they land in the water and cannot escape.  You can also
sprinkle plain borax powder on your carpet.  The powder penetrates the
fleas' hard bodies and literally dries them out, causing their death.

Leave it in place twenty-four hours and then vacuum off.  Keep your
pets away from the carpet while the borax powder is in place, so that
they don't pick it up on their paws and lick it.  After you vacuum, the
carpet will be safe for them again.  Amadeus "vi One day I received a
call from Rhonda, whose dog, Amadeus, was training to be a member of
the Houston Flyball Association.

Amadeus was in danger of being cut from the flyball team because of his
very aggressive behavior toward the other dogs on the team.  When
Amadeus arrived at my studio with Rhonda, he walked across the room
looking and sniffing everywhere, then asked me where the other dogs
were.  I told him there were no other dogs here.  He then asked where
the cats were as he lived with nineteen cats.  I said, "There are no
cats, just you."  Amadeus had picked up the scents of the other animals
who'd been to see me.  Because he was so interested in investigating
all the intriguing smells, it took him quite a while to settle down.

When animals are taken from their familiar environment and brought to
my office, they are excited, nervous, or sometimes, even a bit upset.

Since I can communicate telepathically with animals immediately through
their owners' energy, I normally prefer that owners consult me without
their animals present, to save the twenty or thirty minutes it usually
takes for the pet to calm down and become receptive to telepathic
communication.  I'll make an exception when an animal is sick and needs
hand son healing, but in this case, I made the exception because I
didn't know until she got to my studio that Rhonda was bringing the dog
with her.  Once she arrived, there was no sense in making her leave.

Rhonda told me Amadeus refused to go into the box to pick up the fly
ball.  I asked her to draw a chart of the actual run and tell me what
duties were expected of the dog in the competition.  Rhonda explained
the course, but said that Amadeus attacked any other dog that came near
him during the competition.  I asked Amadeus why he attacked the other
dogs.  He told me that at one time he had been a cattle dog on a ranch,
and he didn't like the cattle bumping him.  He was afraid the other
dogs were going to bump him if he let them get too near.  I

assured him the other dogs had no intention of bumping him as the
cattle had so often done, and told him the other dogs meant him no
harm; that they were simply trying to do a good job in the
competition.

I asked him if he wanted to compete with the other dogs and he said
yes, but was unsure about what he had to do.  I told him he had to go
into the box and pick up the ball with his mouth.  When I transmitted
this picture to him, Amadeus told me he finally understood what he was
supposed to do.  Then Rhonda told me he wasn't very good on the lead. I
asked him why he wouldn't sit and why he wouldn't do what his owner
requested when she pulled on the lead, a method of control commonly
used during fly-ball competitions.  Then his little sad story came
out.

He told me that his former owner tied him up very tightly with thin
string that cut into his neck, and it had hurt him very badly.  He had
been pulled along with the string and tied to a tree with it.  His neck
had been rubbed raw and was very sore.  Although he knew Rhonda would
never hurt him because she loved him very much, each time she pulled
him a certain way, it reminded him of the pain he had experienced in
the past and it confused him.  I repeated the story to Rhonda, and she
told me how Amadeus had been taken from his previous owner because he
had been treated so badly.  She had adopted him from the Humane
Society, and she did not know much about his background, but now she
understood why the problems had occurred.  She asked me to tell
Amadeu's she would not pull hard on his lead again.  During our
conversation, Amadeus told me many other things that made my heart
bleed.  The cruelty that had been inflicted upon him was tremendous.

He told me he always wanted to stay with Rhonda and never leave her for
another home.  He'd had several owners and was worried about moving
again.  I assured him that Rhonda would never leave him, and that he
would never ,

again be treated so cruelly.  I also told him he was a very clever,
smart dog and that he would do very well at the fly-ball competition. I
asked Rhonda to call me the night before the competition so I could go
over everything with Amadeus to remind him what he had to do.  After
the event, Rhonda called to say Amadeus had gone into the box, picked
up his ball, and behaved very well on his lead.  He hadn't bitten any
of the other dogs.  Things went well for a few weeks and then R.honda
called and asked me to speak to Amadeus again.  The day before he had
finished the fly-ball competition and done everything right.  He was
walking away when suddenly, for no apparent reason, he went after
another dog and bit it.  Rhonda was upset because the other dog's vet
bill had cost her two hundred dollars.  I tuned in to Amadeus and he
told me he didn't want the other dogs coming near him at the end after
he'd finished, and that's why he went for them.  I told him that was
very unkind, and that he must not attack the other dogs; otherwise he
would be removed from the team and not be allowed to compete again.  I
told him Rhonda would keep him apart from the other dogs as best she
could.  Before the next competition, R.honda called and asked me to
remind Amadeus not to attack the other dogs.  I tuned in to Amadeus and
suddenly I felt great sadness and worry.  I asked him what was wrong
and he told me one of their cats was very sick and was dying.  Amadeus
wanted to know where the cat would go if it died.  I often find when
animals have been abused they equate dying with going to another cruel
home.  I reassured him, and told him that dying means the cat's spirit
would go to another place where he would be very happy.  I explained
how the body wears out and feels pain and that the spirit must leave
the worn-out body and move on.  That's what dying is, I told him.

Rhonda confirmed that one of the cats was sick.  I told her Amadeus was
really too upset to talk at that point because unlike humans, animals
can only think of one thing at a time.  The cat's illness had Amadeus
too preoccupied to allow effective communicarion.  This was not the day
to speak to him; he needed a week or so to get over this.  A few weeks
later I was able to talk to Amadeus again and I told him it upset
Rhonda very much when he attacked the other dog.  Amadeus told me he
didn't like the smell of the other dog very much, so he bit him.  I
told him it made Rhonda very sad when he misbehaved and was unkind to
other dogs.  Amadeus wanted to do everything correctly.  He wanted to
work closely with Rhonda and he wanted to get the course right.  I
reassured him he was a beautiful clever dog, much too smart to bite
other dogs.  He agreed he would behave in the future and there have
been no further problems since that time.  I often find that when
people have rescued pets, problems crop up that relate to incidents in
the animal's early life, before the current owner came along.  It takes
a lot of love and patience to determine the origin of these "leftover"
problems, but like any other animal behavior problem, if we can put
ourselves in the place of the animal and try to look at the problem
from its point of view, often we can hit upon the proper solution.

"WE

have discussed some ways that animals can misbehave when they are
feeling neglected or misunderstood.  Next, I will discuss the one
problem that makes pet owners most unhappy: when an animal that was
once trained begins to have accidents or does not use the litter box.

Litter box and soiling problems are among the most difficult challenges
pet owners face, but there are always reasons for such problems, as we
shall see in the next chapter.  -' -"

CHAPTER "FIVE

Litter Box Blues Housebreaking and Litter l'roblems perhaps nothing is
more upsetting to pet owners than animals that have problems with
housebreaking or using the litter box.  It is difficult enough having
to scoop and wipe and scrub every time you turn around, but when you
consider the damage to your home, carpet, furniture and clothing, such
accidents can cost a tremendous amount of money.  All these
difficulties combine to make housebreaking and litter box mishaps among
the leading reasons people seek my advice.  The problem is especially
unsettling when a pet that has been house-trained suddenly starts
soiling.  I always find the animal has a very good reason for these
accidents, and that usually it is their way of communicating their
displeasure with a particular situation that has developed in their
home.  Only rarely does a medical condition turn out to be the cause. I
also find the problem is more frequent with cats.  Sometimes it may
take a while to get puppies completely housebroken, but once they are,
they don't generally have accidents unless they are i11 or are left
unattended for too long a period.  Cats, however,

are very sensitive when it comes to their litter boxes, and changes we
may consider insignificant can throw them completely.  Often cats show
their disapproval of a particular situation by relieving themselves
outside of their box.  It is important to remember that animals vary in
their habits just as children do.  Some puppies learn within a matter
of months, while others may need up to a year before they really
understand that they must perform their bodily functions outside the
house.  By the same token, some dogs may go right away after being
taken outside, while others must sniff every bush for a mile before
finding a suitable location.  You must be patient with your dog's or
cat's particular style.  Remember that we humans always have a bathroom
nearby, while animals must rely on us to determine when they need to go
outside.  Also be mindful of giving your pet enough time to conduct his
business.  I've known of owners who herd their dogs out the front door
and then start scolding them to hurry up ten seconds later because they
don't want to miss a football game.  Can you imagine how distressing it
would be if someone yanked you up just as you were getting settled in
the bathroom?  Give your pet plenty of time to sniff about and find
just the right location.  Some owners are negligent about taking their
pet out frequently enough, then become angry with an animal that has
soiled after being confined to an apartment for hours on end with no
break.  I had a client who was having a problem with her gI-own dog
soiling during the day.  But when I visited I learned that the lady did
not let the poor dog out all day long.  Of course it had accidents!

Once again, it was the owner at fault, not the pet.  According to the
American Veterinary Association, this type of problem is the top reason
why pets are given up for adoption by their families, and also the
number one explanation given by families asking a vet to euthanize an
animal that is not ill.  I abhor the idea of a pet being put down
simply because of a house-training problem.  It breaks my heart when
animals are penalized simply because their owners have failed to
shoulder the responsibilities of pet ownership.  Animals must be
trained to do what you want them to do, and the training must be done
with love, compassion, and a great deal of patience.  Still, I
understand how upsetting accidents can be to owners.  We all want our
homes to be pleasant and comfortable, and constant wetting will
absolutely ruin a carpet.  There comes a point when pet urine seeps
down into the carpet padding and the smell simply cannot be removed.

Then you have no choice but to replace the carpet or live with the
unpleasant smell.

Defecation presents its own problems.  If the animal is regular,
scooping up the mess presents little difficulty.  But if it is
suffering from loose bowels, a permanent stain can result.  Clients
often ask me why their animal is having accidents.  Such difficulties
are never the animal's fault, but can always be traced back to
something the owner is doing or not doing that is upsetting to the
pet.

House-training accidents are one sure way your pet can grab your
attention.  In the case of neglected pets, they would much rather have
the negative attention that comes with the scolding over the accident
than none of your attention at all.  With a bit of observation and
perhaps even a little detective work, you can almost always discover
the reason your pet is soiling, and then take appropriate steps to
remedy the problem.  As with all pet problems, there are logical
reasons for the accidents.  Many times a change in routine or the
family is responsible Often the problem can be something as simple as a
change in diet, litter or the location of the litter box, which can
upset and confuse the animal and take it out of its usual routine.  If
you can think back over the week preceding the start of the accidents,
try to isolate anything different in your pet's routine.  Have you
changed their food or schedule, or bought them a new dish?  Is there a
new animal (or human baby) in the house?  Has a family member been ill
or away?  Has there been unusual stress or discord in your home?  Have
you been overworked and unable to pay your pet its normal share of your
attention?  Animals can react very badly when they sense that their
humans are upset, and one of the first ways their own unhappiness
manifests itself is usually with a soiling accident.  It is an animal's
way of raising a red flag and saying, "I don't like what is going on
here."  Animals know soiling is not desirable behavior; that is why
they often try to hide their misdeeds.  Pets love their humans and want
more than anything to please them, so you can be sure if an animal is
deliberately engaging in a behavior they know will upset you, it is for
what they consider to be a very good reason.  We must also remember
that animals, just like humans, have very different personalities.  We
tend to think, "Well, this is what I want my pet to do, so he must do
it," without making any allowances for the animal's individual
preferences.

For example, there are some people who think nothing of drying off with
a towel someone else has just used, while others would never do that.

Animals also have their peculiarities and we must make allowances for
those.  In a multi-cat household, some cats will use a litter box all
the other cats are using; but many cats absolutely will not.  Cats are
very clean animals, and it is important to them to have a clean place
to perform their bodily functions.  If you are negligent about keeping
their litter tray fresh and \ 3

scooped out, don't be surprised if your cat finds another place to go
to the bathroom.  You must stop this tendency immediately, because once
a cat decides on a place to use as its "bathroom," it is difficult to
change its mind.  You must train your kitten to go where you want it to
go, and be diligent about keeping the litter tray clean, so as not to
give your cat the idea it must go elsewhere.  The same is true of
litter box location.  Cats are creatures of habit.  You may decide to
move their litter box because it suits you, but the cat is used to
having it where it has always been and will more than likely continue
going to the bathroom in its accustomed spot, whether or not the litter
tray is there.  While some cats don't mind a change of location and
will follow their litter box around, you would be surprised how many
cat owners call me with complaints about accidents who answer yes to my
first question, "Have you just moved the litter box?"  If they answer
yes, I tell them to simply move the litter box back to where it was, no
matter how inconvenient it may seem, and this solves the soiling
problem.

Also, don't shut your cat in too close a space.  I have had many
clients consult me about litter box problems who have followed the
current trend and bought fancy domed litter boxes.  Though the dome may
keep litter from spraying, it tends to make some cats feel very
claustrophobic, while others don't mind the enclosed space at all.  In
cases where the cat started avoiding the litter tray once the dome
appeared, all the soiling problems were resolved once the owners
removed the dome from the litter box and gave their cats a little
breathing space.  Animals are very vulnerable when they are "doing
their business," so they tend to be a bit more jumpy at this time. Just
last week, a friend's cat, a wise old veteran of fifteen years, was
relieving himself in the backyard early one morning.  He let his guard
down for a moment, and there, in the middle of a sub '_ urban
neighborhood, a fox jumped out of the hedge, grab be the cat, and broke
its neck before my friend could chase it away" So try to be a bit more
understanding if your pet doesn't like to "perform" in the open.  Once
you determine what factors may have changed in the week preceding the
change in behavior, you can formulate a plan to try and eliminate the
cause of the accidents.  It may take a bit " of time to solve the
problem, but' your pet is worth it.  If you h find you really cannot
get the problem corrected, you may allow '-" the animal to live
outdoors as long as you have a spacious, secure " and sheltered place
for him.  If you do not, it is your responsibility to try and find a
good home for your pet.  Euthanizing a pet that is having accidents is
entirely unacceptable, and most vets of my acquaintance will not do
it.

But they tell me they get many requests for such services from pet
owners who thought the fluffy little kitten or adorable puppy was just
going to take care of itself without any training or input from the
owners at all.  Neither animals nor children can raise themselves
properly, so if you do not think you can make the commitment of time,
love, and energy it takes to turn an "animal" into a proper pet, it is
just as well if you don't get a pet at alI.  You will save yourself a
lot of trouble and some dog or cat a lot of heartbreak.  1f however,
you are willing to invest yourself in training your pet to be a good
companion, please continue reading, and I will share some stories of
pets whose soiling problems I was able to correct.  j. Misty I had an
unusual case presented to me by my client, Kerry.  Whenever she was at
home, her cat, Misty, used the litter box

THE "PET "PSYCHIC E3

consistently.  But when Kerry left home, the cat used the rest of the
house as a sort of giant litter box.  Needless to say, neither Kerry
nor her family were pleased with this turn of events, At first I
thought it was just a case of Misty being spoiled and wanting her
mistress to stay home all the time, a situation that can often be
remedied by the addition of another cat to keep the first cat company
(see the story of Whiskey in chapter 6).  But once I connected
telepathically to the cat, I came to understand Misty had experienced
some sort of tremendous fright months before while still a kitten.

Kerry was away from the house and just as Misty was entering her litter
box, she heard a tremendous crash of thunder and saw a bright lightning
flash.  Misty associated the terrifying boom with two things; her
attempt to use the litter box and Kerry's absence.  Whenever Kerry was
around to protect her, Misty felt it was safe to use the litter box.

But once she left the house, the cat was afraid the thunder would
return if she tried to use the box.  I told Misty it was alright, that
the same thing was not likely to happen again, and that the thunder and
lightning could not hurt her while she was in the house.  To give Misty
a sense of control and empowerment, something she sorely lacks, I asked
where she wanted her litter tray placed.  Misty answered that if it
could be placed in the closet where she liked to sleep, she would feel
safe in there.  When I told Kerry about the thunder and lightning, she
confirmed there had been a big storm several months previously when she
was away from home.  When she returned that evening, she found Misty
cowering in her closet, and the litter box problems began the very next
day.  Kerry said that Misty spent most of her time hiding in the closet
and many of the accidents occurred there, Now we had the key to the
solution of the problem, but I

6A SONYA "PITZPATRICK

was concerned when Kerry told me about Misty hiding out the time,
because occasional thunder and lightning did not see to me to be enaugh
of a reason for the cat to be so frightened"; I decided to wait and see
what would happen.  Sure enough, after Kerry moved Misty's litter tray
to the closet as requested, th cat went without a problem for a few
weeks.  Then Kerry called me again.  Misty was once again having
problems, even with the litter box in the requested location.  When I
connected to the cat again, I asked her what else was going on that was
frightening her and making her have accidents.  She was very hesitant
to talk to me, but after much prodding, she told me her "daddy,"
Kerry's husband, had been throwing his shoes at her when she was hiding
in the closet and deliberately hitting her with them.  His anger
frightened her so badly she lost control of her bowels and had an
accident, which enraged him even more.  Misty was so terrified of
Kerry's husband that she hid in the closet whenever he was in the
house, but he had discovered her hiding place, and seemed to enjoy
cruelly teasing the poor animal.  It is always difficult for me to have
to tell a client that one of their family members is abusing their pet,
and that this is the source of their animal's difficulties.  You can
imagine what an impossible situation it puts my clients in when they
confront the miscreant with the information.  They always demand to
know wha "told" on them.  It is hard to explain to someone who is not
sympathetic to animals that the animal itself "told."  Of course, I
could not tell Kerry to choose between her cat and her husband, but
that is often what I would like to tell people.  When I find out from
animals that their owner's spouse or sweetheart is being cruel, I want
ta shout, "You will never be happy with someone who does not love
animals as you do."  Kerry tearfully confirmed what Misty had told me,
and said

"IHE "PET PSYCHIC 65

that her husband disliked the cat, particularly since it had started
soiling, and often threw his shoes at it.  I told her she had to
protect her cat from her husband, and if she could not, then she Irlust
find another home for it.  Sadly, Kerry called several months later to
say she had put Misty down, Her husband had given her an ultimatum and
she gave in.  If she had just taken the trouble to find a new home for
Misty, I know the difficulties would have cleared.  All the poor cat
needed was a home filled with love and compassion.  She was so
frightened that she rarely left her closet.  Though it is sad that
Kerry chose to sacrifice her cat, it comforts me to know Misty is in a
better place now where she will not suffer anymore.  Misty's case is
not that unusual.  I have worked with many animals that were
particularly sensitive to electrical storms.  Storms are extremely
upsetting for some animals, while others sleep peacefully through the
worst thunder and lightning.  It has to do with the individual animal's
sensitivity to the electromagnetic fields of the earth.  If they are
very sensitive, electrical storms can actually cause them physical
pain.  I have felt it in my own body when I am linked telepathically to
a sensitive animal.  It is not just the noise of the thunder; there is
much more going on.  A sensitive animal actually serves as an
electrical conduit when storms are nearby, and as you can imagine, this
is terribly frightening for them.  Think of how you jump in the winter
when you touch metal after building up a static electrical charge.  The
same thing happens to animals.  Be aware of what your animal may be
experiencing.  Just because you cannot feel anything, don't assume your
animal cannot.  Our bodies don't operate at the same electrical
frequencies as animal bodies, therefore our senses are not as attuned
as theirs to changes in the electromagnetic fields.  I have found that
some animals can feel the electrical impulses from a human body as
well.  If you approach them too quickly, this will cause them
discomfort, so please be aware this may be what is causing a dog or cat
to pull back from you.  It's not that they are unfriendly;

they are simply trying to protect themselves from your electrical
charge.  If you have a pet that reacts to people in this way, just tell
yaur guests to ignore him.  He will come around in his own time and own
way, when he feels comfortable about doing so.  If you know your animal
is sensitive to electricity, try not to leave him alone during a storm,
and especially avoid leaving him outside.  If your pet wants to go
under a bed during a storm, let him.  It will help him to feel safe,
and the stillness and the enclosed space will guard against the buildup
of a static charge.  The fright your animal feels after experiencing an
electrical shock may cause him to lose control of his bowels or bladder
and have an accident, so be particularly sympathetic if you find your
pet has soiled on a stormy day.  w 5 l Sparky Celia came to me because
her dog, Sparky, had taken to making a daily deposit near her new
boyfriend's shoes and clothes after he left them on the floor beside
the bed.  Her boyfriend had ordered Celia to get rid of the dog or he
himself would depart, but she didn't want to lose either her human or
her canine companion.  Celia and Sparky had been together for ten
years, ever since Sparky was a puppy.  Celia said the beautiful
Dalmatian had never had an accident in all that time, so I suspected
that Sparky was either jealous of the attention his mistress was paying
her new boyfriend, or didn't like the boyfriend and had fallen back on
an age-old device to show his disapproval.

When I connected telepathically to the dog, I found Sparky was greatly
distressed because he thought the boyfriend treated him unkindly.  He
was also, as I suspected, jealous and did not like having the man
living in the house because he was used to having Celia all to
himself.

He missed their evening romps and was desperate for a bit of Celia's
attention.  Sparky was lonely and afraid.  He was used to sleeping in
Celia's bedroom every night and now found himself shut out, replaced by
the unsympathetic boyfriend who kicked him and treated him cruelly
whenever Celia was out and he was alone with the dog.  The dog told me
the man had threatened to hurt him repeatedly, and taunted him by
saying he would get rid of him sooner or later.  Celia was worried
about her dog and didn't want him to feel entirely neglected, so she
had started letting him into the bedroom early each morning.  Sparky
seized upon this as a prime opportunity to show his disapproval of the
boyfriend by performing his bodily functions on or near the man's shoes
and on his clothing, something which he had never done before.  He
emphasized to me that he had always been a very clean dog and his
bodily functions were regular, so I knew the "accidents" were
deliberate.  When I asked Sparky why he was soiling, he told me he
repeated this behavior most mornings hoping Celia would understand why
he was doing it.  But of course, she didn't.  Her heart and emotions
were tied up with the new boyfriend and she couldn't understand why her
reliable old pet had suddenly started misbehaving.  Her boyfriend was
enraged and had issued the standard, "It's him or me," ultimatum.  I
shouldn't have any difficulty making such a choice; the pet would
always win.  If you are an animal lover, it is important that your
partner loves animals too or you will surely face difficulties ahead.

Though Sparky had excellent reasons for his misdeeds, I never encourage
pets to continue misbehaving because it only serves to aggravate an
already tense situation.  When I told Celia that Sparky had told me her
boyfriend treated him badly, I gently pointed out that she could never
be truly happy with someone who was not as great an animal lover as she
was.  I told her she had to take steps to protect Sparky from her
boyfriend and make him feel as special to her as he did before the
boyfriend came into her life.  Then and only then would the accidents
stop.  Not surprisingly, that was not the answer Celia wanted to hear,
so she left my studio.  Somehow, she expected me to wave a magic wand
and cure all her difficulties.  But as all my clients soon discover,
they have to work at resolving their problems with their animals,
because difficulties never resolve themselves.  There are no easy
cures.  I hoped for the best, but felt that poor Sparky had seen his
last happy days.  I knew he wasn't going to stop his accidents because
he was trying to make a point.  I was afraid Celia would get rid of her
old friend.  But there was a happy ending this time.  Three months
later, Celia returned unexpectedly and told me she had finally broken
up with her male companion.  It turned out her dog's opinion of the
rejected suitor was the correct one; it just took her a bit longer than
it took Sparky to figure it out.  The man had been gone just a week,
and Sparky was still making his daily deposits in the spot where once
the man had thrown his clothes.  Celia wanted me to speak to Sparky to
assure him the boyfriend would not be coming to live in the house
again.  I connected to the dog and gave him the happy news, and Celia
has since reported that Sparky is now accident-free once again.  Celia
learned something from the experience and has decided she will never
get serious about a man again before determining whether or not he
loves animals.  Another lady came to me because her three dogs were
having accidents on her carpet, a problem which had developed since the
introduction of a fourth dog into the household.

We solved her problem, but not until we had sorted out the hurt
feelings and fears of abandonment the three older dogs experienced as a
result of the new dog's presence in their home.  Since accidents are
often the result of jealousy and upset over the presence of a new
animal, I will present solutions for this problem in the next
chapter.

CHAPTER SIX

When Whiskey Met Sally Introducing New Animals to the Nousehold et
owners often run into unexpected trouble when a new pet is brought into
the household.  The introduction of a new animal can wreak havoc upon a
formerly quiet domestic scene.  It upsets the pecking order of the
animals already in the home, and everything must be sorted out before
peace can reign again.  It is most important that the pets you already
have do not feel displaced by the newcomer.  At the same time, you must
make sure the newcomer does not get left out and feels truly welcome in
your home.  It is a delicate balance to achieve.  On the other hand,
sometimes the addition of a new animal solves problems that may be
related to loneliness, depression, or skittishness on the part of a
solitary animal.  If you work long hours and leave your pet alone,
loneliness may lead him into mischief.  The addition of another animal
to a situation like this will often relieve the unhappiness of the
solitary pet and put an end to the behavioral problems.  Pet owners are
making a big mistake when they bring new animals into the house without
informing the animals already in

THE PET PSYCHIC W

residence that a newcomer is arriving.  I tell all my clients never to
assume their pets do not have a point of view about additions to the
family, because they do.  I stress the importance of communicating the
news to your animals before the new animal arrives.  Ask their
permission to bring another pet in.  It may seem silly, but including
your pet in the decision-making process by discussing his new role with
him ahead of time prevents many problems.  Emphasize how much you love
your pet, and how important a role he plays in your family.  This is
very important, as one of their greatest fears is that the newcomer may
oust them from their favored place.  Like a child who reacts badly to
the birth of a sibling, an older pet may feel shoved aside by a newer,
younger and possibly more beautiful animal's arrival in the home he
once considered his alone.  No matter what, a newcomer inevitably
alters the balance of power among the animals.  You should be sensitive
to your pet's feelings and make sure to give him his accustomed shows
of affection.  If you fail to spend time with your older pets after a
new pet arrives, your old pets are likely to blame the newcomer for the
neglect, and problems will result.  The stress and conflict associated
with the introduction of a new animal can actually cause your pet to
become i11.  That is what happened with Zuki, an iguana that was
brought to me at the point of death.  Zuki Since I started healing
animals, I have worked with many different types of creatures, dogs and
cats of course, but also birds, horses, and turtles.  But Zuki was my
first iguana.  Zuki arrived in my studio concealed in a duffel bag.  He
had been so ill his owner, Karen, was afraid to open the bag because
she thought he might already be dead.  When I lifted him from the bag,
he was limp and completely unresponsive, yet my first thought was that
he was one of the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen.  Neither
Karen nor a succession of veterinarians had been able to discover what
was wrong with him.  Zuki would not eat and had grown progressively
more lethargic over the previous ten days.  I put a soft, clean towel
across my lap, lifted the iguana out of the bag and put him down on the
towel.

Zuki was still a baby, not more than eighteen inches long and less than
two years old.  As always, I took a few minutes to feel the animal's
energy and get it used to me.  As I stroked Zuki, I told the iguana
what I was doing and asked his permission to help him.  I waited until
I felt my healing guide put the healing energy through my hands, then I
put my hands gently upon him and stroked his head.  I started to get a
sensation of extreme discomfort in my stomach and felt there was a
blockage in the iguana's intestinal area.  I was given a blue light to
use and drew it from the tip of Zuki's nose to the tip of his tail, all
the while visualizing the healing light going through him.  I realized
my guide was going to have me perform psychic surgery.  I then
visualized using the laser to cut Zuki's stomach open, and I could see
that it was quite sore inside.  I put more healing energy through his
stomach, then saw the energy clearing the blockage and going through
Zuki.  I closed the stomach, rested my hands on the iguana, and felt
vibrations in my hands as healing energy passed through them.  After
another ten minutes of healing, the iguana passed the intestinal
blockage onto the towel, and I was very happy I had thought to cover
myself before picking Zuki up!  I continued to heal Zuki until I felt
energy flowing freely .  through him.  After being listless and still
for more than a week,"

the iguana suddenly started to move and his eyes were brighter.  Karen
couldn't believe the iguana had completely recovered in such a short
time, and thought it was nothing short of a miracle.  She was overjoyed
to see Zuki so active, especially when he indicated he wanted to climb
down and explore the studio.  I was curious to see if I could easily
communicate with the iguana; I wondered if he was as observant and
intelligent as the rest of the animals I worked with.  He did not
disappoint me.  As Zuki continued to improve, he began to communicate
rapidly.  As animals often do when they are feeling better and realize
they have an audience, Zuki started to gossip about his family.  He
told me Karen's daughter, Shannen, had just changed her hair.  When I
relayed this, Karen and Shannen said it was true.  Zuki also told me he
had been moved from Shannen's bedroom into another room, and he wished
to go back as he enjoyed the feeling of companionship he shared with
Shannen, who was his special favorite in the family.  Zuki then told me
he had been given something horrible to eat.  Karen thought for a
moment, then told me it was tofu.  Zuki promptly told me he didn't want
any more of that, that iguanas didn't eat tofu, and Karen agreed not to
offer it anymore.  Zuki then returned to his favorite topic, Shannen,
and told me when he lived in her room he used to enjoy watching her.

He said she often read in bed and that her bedroom was very untidy,
which made her mother cross.

"Absolutely true!"  Karen cried out.  Zuki also said the girl often
left her mug and plates at the side of the table.  He couldn't
understand why Karen got angry over this.  He couldn't see that it
mattered, and thought it was strange to get angry over something like
that.  He kept emphasizing how much he wanted to go back into the
bedroom with Shannen, who he said talked to him all the time and made
him feel special and important.

By this time, we were all laughing out loud and Zuki was getting
perkier and perkier.  I had never seen such a remarkable recovery.  He
told me our conversation had made him feel much happier.  Then Zuki
really began to open up.  He told me there was another iguana in his
house who had been cruel to him.  I suddenly picked up the other
animal, named Spika, who started to talk.  I was amazed at the
intensity of the creature's jealousy toward little Zuki.  Spika did not
like Zuki at all and proceeded to tell me in no uncertain terms he
wanted Zuki to die and go away.  I realized part of Zuki's illness was
caused by the stress of the other iguana's intense jealousy.  Karen,
from her human point of view, thought the two iguanas would enjoy being
close to each other.  On the contrary, I found the animals disliked
each other intensely.  The main source of trouble turned out to be a
glass enclosure, which had originally been Spika's.  Spika had outgrown
the enclosure and had been given a splendid new cage to accommodate his
size.  Karen had then given Spika's old cage to Zuki.  But to Spika's
way of thinking, his favorite cage had been thoughtlessly taken away
without regard to his feelings.  It didn't matter that he could hardly
fit in the cage any longer.  He couldn't see it from the standpoint of
practicality.  Spika felt only intense jealousy, because he believed he
had been unfairly removed from his cage so that Zuki could have it.  I
also discovered Spika did not like to share the attention his family
had formerly lavished solely upon him.  After Karen placed the two
cages into the same room, Spika took advantage of their proximity to
torment poor Zuki.  Zuki felt intimidated by the older iguana, and
completely subject to his power.  The powerful negative energy
vibrations Spika co ,

stantly sent Zuki's way were actually what had made the little iguana
ill.  I'm sure you've all heard of voodoo.  What Spika did to Zuki was
comparable to that ancient practice; he made Zuki believe he was going
to become ill and die, and the power of that suggestion made Spika's
heartfelt wish become Zuki's unhappy reality.  He really believed it
when the other iguana told him he didn't want him there anymore and
that he was dying.  I told Karen to separate the iguanas' cages so they
could not see each other, which would put Zuki well away from Spika's
negative energy vibrations.  I asked her to put Zuki's cage back with
the daughter who loved him, as he always enjoyed the girl's company in
the past.  Karen readily agreed, so I reassured Zuki he would not have
to see the other iguana again, which made him very happy.  The intense
jealousy Spika directed constantly at the little iguana had broken down
Zuki's immune system, making him vulnerable to illness, and more and
more despondent.  The joy of hearing he would not ever have to see his
jealous rival again proved the best medicine of all for Zuki.  Back
into the duffel bag went Zuki, now happy and healthy, for the journey
home.

As he was tucking his head down, he poked it up one last time and asked
me to have Karen raise the temperature in his tank as he liked it a bit
warmer.  I promised I would tell her.  When Zuki returned home, his
tank was immediately moved back into Shannen's room.  Karen reports
that Zuki happily watches Shannen for hours on end.  Much of this
difficulty could have been avoided by communicating with Spika prior to
Zuki's introduction to the household.  There is no doubt in my mind
Spika would still have been jealous, because that was part of his
personality.  But it certainly would have lessened the intensity of his
angry feelings if he had been F reassured beforehand about his ongoing
role in the family, his importance and the love the family had for
him.

It did soothe Spika somewhat when I told him the reason his cage had
been taken from him and given to Zuki was not a punishment as he had
supposed or to show favoritism to Zuki, but simply to accommodate his
growth.  But I suspect Spika will always be jealous of Zuki..  ,:,
Hubert After several idyllic years as Stacey's fondest companions, my
old friends Hubert and Leonard, introduced in chapter four, found
themselves in charge of two young kittens.  Because their owner,
Stacey, had asked their permission to bring the kittens into the house,
they did not feel jealous or cause any problems.  But there is still a
funny story to be told here, a story that illustrates the wisdom of
including your pets in the decision to add new animals to your home.

The funny part is about Hubert.  As we already know, Hubert is
high-strung and quite self-determined.  We rarely could make him give
up a bad habit unless we could show him how he could benefit from
acquiescing to our request.

But in the face of parental responsibility, Hubert did an about-face.

He decided to give up his old ways and become a perfect role model for
the kitties.  Stacey had bought a nice scratching post, which Hubert
steadfastly refused to use, much preferring to sharpen his claws on his
old favorite spot on Stacey's sofa.  We had made little progress toward
a resolution of this problem despite several conversations with
Hubert.

But after I told him he must set a good example for the new kittens and
show them how to behave properly,

"IHE PET PSYCHIC

Hubert became a new cat.  He took his role very seriously, and Stacey
reported he could be seen stretching and exercising his claws on the
scratching post whenever the kittens came near the perfect adult feline
role model.  No more sofa-scratching for Hubert, and certainly none for
the kittens in his charge.  The next time I connected to Hubert through
Stacey's energy, I congratulated him on his progress toward
responsibility.  He told me that once he found himself in charge of
teaching the kittens the right way to behave, he realized he himself
couldn't be seen behaving badly, and so he changed his old habits
accordingly.  I like Hubert's story because it is a good example of the
positive things that can happen when a new animal is properly
introduced to a multi-pet household.  When you take pains to make sure
your old pets still feel loved and important, and emphasize to them
that the newcomer will serve only to make the family even happier, you
can stop problems before they start.  Murphy My client Pam took no such
precautions.  She brought a beautiful new dog into her home without
thinking of the effect it might have on the dog she already had.  Her
family showered such lavish attention on the newcomer that their old
dog felt quite left out.  When he started to attack the new dog in an
attempt to draw some attention back to himself, the poor dog found it
had quite the opposite effect from what he desired.  His formerly
loving family turned on him for being cruel to the new dog.  What they
didn't understand was that the attacks were his way of expressing his
dismay at their almost total neglect of him.  My involvement in the
story began when Pam came to me and said she'd had to drop her dog
Murphy off at a veterinary clinic, where the animal was being boarded
for the day while Pam was in Houston.  I asked her why she needed to
take Murphy to board if she was just going to be away for the day.  Pam
said it was because Murphy kept attacking her other dogs, and he was in
a terrible state with all his hair coming out.  He was almost bald.  I
felt an overwhelming sense of compassion for Murphy, so I asked Pam if
she would like me to see if I could tune in to Murphy and find out why
he was attacking the other dogs.  I explained to Pam that there always
had to be a reason for an animal's misbehavior, and that perhaps I
could help her sort out the problems with the dogs in her household.

Without questioning me further, Pam said yes, she would appreciate any
help she could get with the problem as it was causing great distress in
her family.  When I connected to Murphy through Pam's energy, a very
sad little voice came through, and I realized the dog was terribly
upset.  He told me he was brokenhearted because his family was going to
give him away.  When I relayed this to Pam, she looked at me absolutely
astonished and said she'd only just asked her maid that morning if she
would take Murphy, because the maid loved Murphy very much, and Pam was
fed up with the problems that Murphy was causing.  I explained to Pam
that animals understand everything we are saying.  Still, the remark
made that morning was the result of weeks of Murphy's misbehavior, so I
hadn't gotten to the bottom of the mystery yet.  Pam's request to her
maid was the end, not the beginning of the matter.  Murphy then told me
that Parn's daughter had called him ugly.  That made him sad because
once he had been a beautiful dog, but as his hair had mostly fallen
out, he knew he wasn't beautiful anymore.  Hearing Pam's daughter call
him ugly just added to his pain.  When I told Pam this, she said, "Oh,
we do call him ugly, but only as a joke!  We didn't realize he knew
what we meant!"  ,4

Pam was devastated at the hurt the family's thoughtless joke had caused
her little dog.  She went on to tell me that Murphy was the family's
first dog, and she had always had a special fondness for him before the
trouble started.  Murphy interrupted to say his family had him first
before any other dogs came into the house, and that he always felt very
beautiful and very special to his family.  Then Pam decided to add to
her dog family.  She bought two more dogs, and the new dogs had
puppies, including one with soft fur and beautiful eyes they called
Charlotte.  Pam decided to keep Charlotte in addition to her other
three dogs.  Soon after, Murphy began to feel neglected.  He felt all
the attention was on Charlotte, whereas it used to be on him.  Learning
to share the attention and affection of their masters can be just as
difficult for animals as it is for human brothers and sisters,
particularly when they have been the center of attention for some time
before the newcomer appears.  Murphy told me that Charlotte and her
mother and father would not speak to him at all, and this made him feel
very sad and lonely.  Murphy started attacking Charlotte, and the
attacks had grown so vicious that Pam was forced to separate the two
dogs.  Pam was at a loss as to what caused the trouble, since the dogs
had been getting along beautifully when first introduced.  I asked
Murphy why he was attacking Charlotte when he knew it distressed his
family and made them angry with him.  He replied that everyone thought
Charlotte was beautiful and he wasn't beautiful anymore because his
hair was falling out, so he was jealous.  Murphy also told me the other
dogs had much nicer dishes to eat from.  When I told Pam what Murphy
was saying, she started crying.  She told me she didn't think it made
any difference what dish a dog ate from and was amazed that Murphy
perceived the difference between the plain plastic bowl he ate from,
and the other dogs' special stainless steel dog dishes.  She hadn't
realized that such a thing could matter to dogs or be interpreted by
them as a sign of preferential treatment and favoritism.  I told Pam
all of Murphy's undesirable behavior stemmed from his need for
attention from his family, attention he felt he was no longer getting
since the introduction of Charlotte to the household.

The family was naturally cross with him for attacking Charlotte, not
realizing that Murphy was so unhappy that it was the only way he knew
to let his family and the other dogs know how he was feeling.  He was
getting his family's attention, even if it was the wrong kind of
attention.  Murphy was crying out to be loved.  Pam also had to put
Murphy into a room by himself so he couldn't attack the other dogs,
which only added to Murphy's distress because he felt very lonely and
upset being shut away from his beloved family.  I told Pam that instead
of shutting Murphy away all the time, it should be used as a punishment
when he attacked Charlotte.  I instructed her to say very firmly to
him, "No!  You don't do that to Charlotte," and then put him in a room
alone for about ten minutes every time he attacked, so he would realize
the undesirable confinement was the direct result of his undesirable
behavior, instead of believing the confinement was his family's way of
shutting him out because they didn't love him anymore.  The sadness and
upset Murphy was transmitting to me was disturbing, particularly
because I knew the dog's distress was caused by his family's
misunderstanding of the situation.  I reassured Pam that many pet
owners would have responded the same way to such a situation and asked
her what she wanted to do.  Pam said she wanted to keep Murphy, that
she loved him very much, and had only suggested giving him away because
she didn't know what else to do.  I told her that I would speak to the
dog and convey her love, but that she had to make the changes I
suggested if she expected Murphy to show any improvement.  Pam agreed.
I spoke to Murphy and assured him that Pam and his family still loved
him very much, and that there was no reason for him to attack Charlotte
again because his people all loved him as well as they loved Charlotte.
I told him I knew he would be a very good dog now, and that even though
I understood how he had felt so very jealous, there was no need any
longer for that sort of behavior.  Murphy then asked about his hair.

Apparently he had been pumped so full of steroids in an effort to cure
the inflammatory condition that had caused the hair loss that his fur
would never grow back.  I heard my angel guides saying that he should
be on a diet of rice and fresh fish; then his hair would grow in
again.

I told Pam about the special diet, and reminded her to get Murphy a new
stainless steel dish.  I then told Murphy he was going to get his own
special bowl like the other dogs had.  Pam called my studio a few days
later to tell me that everything was much better.  Murphy had his new
dish, and lots of love and reassurance from his suddenly cognizant
family.

Everyone in the family was telling him how beautiful he was.  Pam also
reported that Murphy was getting along much better with the other
dogs.

While Pam was on the phone, I tuned in to Murphy, and he transmitted to
me a good happy feeling; then he telepathically sent me a picture of
him sleeping together with the other dogs.  I also picked up another of
Pam's dogs who told me that Murphy was a nice dog again.  I was very
pleased that the dogs were again communicating with each other, and
that Murphy and his companions were all living in harmony once more.

A few weeks later, Pam brought Murphy to see me, and he had grown back
a full coat of hair and was once again quite a beautiful dog.  I could
feel the pride and happiness flowing from him.  Murphy has
reestablished an important role with his family, and regularly receives
outward shows of love and affection from them.  This was all he needed
to correct both his behavioral and health problems.  Pam is still
distraught over the pain her family's thoughtlessness caused Murphy,
but it is common that we humans fail to realize that animals are such
intelligent and sentient beings.  Humans often don't give animals
credit for their ability to understand.  As long as each pet feels
special to its family, loved, and appreciated, there should be no
insurmountable problems.  If real trouble begins after the introduction
of a new animal, assess the time leading up to the difficulty and more
often than not, you will pinpoint the cause.  Whiskey Sometimes though,
a new animal can be just the right prescription to cure problems with a
lonely, bored, or skittish animal.  The mingling of the two
personalities often creates a more pleasant and tolerable atmosphere
for both the pet with the difficulties and for the family.  The
amusement and distraction provided by another animal can often get a
neurotic animal's mind off his own problems and onto more agreeable
occupations.  This was the case with my friend Carol.  She came to see
me about her cat, Whiskey, who had taken to hiding under the bed all
day long.  No matter what enticement Carol presented, Whiskey would not
come out from under the bed in her bedroom upstairs.  When I started to
speak with him, I discovered the first floor of Whiskey's house had
taken in several feet of water during a devastating flood.  The family
was forced to climb to the upper floor to escape the water, and they
were caught there until the water subsided.  The rising waters, stormy
weather, and his family's upset had terrified the poor cat.  After the
disaster, the entire family had to live upstairs while the first floor
was being repaired from the ravages of the flood.  The commotion of
strange workmen trooping in and out of the house all day, combined with
the fearsome noise of their power tools, had just about collapsed
Whiskey's nervous system.  Carol told me he suddenly disappeared under
the bed one day, and now he wouldn't come out, no matter what
enticements she offered.  Through no one's fault; poor Whiskey had
suffered so many terrible experiences he could not cope with what had
happened.  Whiskey had experienced so much trauma that he no longer
wanted to come out from under the bed, the only place, except for a
nice, dark closet, where he felt safe.  But sitting alone under the
bed, Whiskey had too much time to think about his troubles, so I
suggested to him the idea of a new kitten as a companion.  I also asked
Carol if she had thought of getting a companion for Whiskey.  She said
if it would help Whiskey, she would be in favor of the idea.  As we
communicated, I realized Whiskey was a very chatty cat.  He sent me
lots of details about his owner's dress and appearance.  He liked the
idea of having another cat around and gave his approval.  The arrival
of the new kitten was planned in detail with Carol, to make sure that
Whiskey felt included in all the preparations.

I warned him that the kitten was likely to be nervous after leaving its
mother and might hiss a bit.  But I assured Whiskey that if he took
good care of the kitten they would become

H4 SONYA "FITZPATAICK

friends, and the friendship and amusement the kitten could provide
would help take Whiskey's mind off his fear of another flood.  As we
had hoped, the two cats did become friends, and once' the curious
little Samuel began to venture downstairs, Whiskey could not help but
follow.

This was a great breakthrough.  By the end of the month, Carol reported
that Whiskey and Samuel were living in all the rooms of the house.

Whiskey's old terrors about being caught in another flood receded into
memory.  In Whiskey's case, the addition of Samuel to the household
helped him overcome his fears and reclaim as his rightful territory in
all of his family's house.  No matter how difficult the situation,
generally some resolution can be found to the problems caused by new
animals.  Answers, as always, lie in examining the changes in human
conduct that led to the changes in the pet's conduct.  If your old pet
truly will not accept a newcomer, ask yourself why is it so important
to bring a new animal home?  Do you really need another pet?  Can you
provide for it properly, with nutritious food and good veterinary
care?

Do you have enough time to give a new pet the love and attention he
needs?  Or will the time you normally devote to the pets you already
own have to be divided to accommodate all your animals, thereby
knocking an established animal from its accustomed perch in the pecking
order?  If you want to ensure a happy result when you introduce a new
animal into your household, make sure the pets you already have feel
included in the planning stage.  Tell them that a new dog or cat is
coming to live there and emphasize how much you love and appreciate
them, and how you think the new arrival will be a wonderful addition to
your family.  Once the new pet arr mes make sure the newcomer isn't
allowed to displace the pets you already have.  If you make a fuss over
the newcomer, take the time to make a fuss over your old friends too to
keep jealous feelings at bay.

If you are wise and don't allow a new pet to change your relationship
with your old pet, such additions can go smoothly, resulting in
increased satisfaction and pleasure for all those involved.  Trouble
will surely result, though, if you don't plan ahead, and ignore your
old pets in favor of a new darling.  Sometimes though, behavioral
problems arise that are not due strictly to the introduction of a new
animal.  When owners inadvertently disrupt their pets' familiar
environments, trouble can result.  We discuss several examples in the
next chapter.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Sonny's Proper Schedule The Importance of Routine cannot emphasize too
strongly to pet owners the importance of establishing a routine with
their animal and sticking to it.  With a reliable routine in place,
pets are able to overcome some of the more common traumas, such as a
change of house.  To an animal which has no set routine, such a move is
completely unsettling, because the only reliable thing in its life, its
physical location, is suddenly taken away.  An animal which still has
its familiar bed, dish and toys, who is still enjoying its daily walk
or romp with its owners, can come through such a transition with far
fewer problems.  Though owners often come to see me about something
specific such as a soiling or fighting problem, freduently I am able to
trace the difficulty back to a change in their routine, something which
has upset or frightened their pet, and resulted in the inappropriate
behavior.  Pets are so very like children.  They need routine,
discipline, and structure to stay on track, and when they do not get
it, difficulties of one sort or another often arise.  I

often discover that a pet with significant behavior problems has had
many different owners, or has suffered abuse.  Many of these problems
can be overcome with the establishment of a regular routine and lots of
love.  Once an animal has a routine he can trust and a relationship
with his owner he can depend upon, he is likely to drop many
undesirable habits or neurotic behaviors.  Your routine is one of the
ways your animal tells time.  Our pets know our daily routine and our
weekend routine; that weekdays have a different rhythm than weekends.

They understand the concept of "day" and "night" as light and
darkness.

If you go to work at the same time each day and arrive home around the
same time each night, that is a routine your pet depends on.  But work
schedules vary and we all must work the occasional late night.  It is
important to let our pets know when we will be late, to keep them from
worrying.  If you know you will be home late, try this exercise,
because your pet will be expecting you and will be distressed if you
don't show up on time.  From your car or office, send a telepathic
picture of darkness to tell your animal you are going to be home later
than usual.

Send the feeling of returning home later along with the words and the
picture of darkness.  Your message will reach your pet immediately, and
he will know you'll be back later and not at your usual time.  This
will calm his fears about the break in the routine.  I have been
consulted by people who were unsure how their pet knew exactly when to
meet them even though their arrival time was different every day.  One
lady was especially puzzled.  She stayed home with her children and was
amazed by her dog barking to be let out into the garden a full ten
minutes before her husband pulled up each night.  Depending upon his
workload, her husband's arrival times varied by as much as two hours,
so she knew the time of day wasn't serving as the dog's cue.  She'
wanted to know how their dog knew when the husband was on his way
home.

The dog knew because the husband's mind energy was being transmitted
telepathically as he commuted.  I connected to the husband and
discovered that while he was driving home, he sent out the feeling of
pleasure he knew he would feel upon arriving home and finding his happy
family waiting for him.  His intelligent and very eager dog picked up
this telepathic transmission immediately and barked to be let out into
the garden so he could wait by the garage to greet his master and have
his evening romp.  It was clear to me that the husband's arrival home
was an important part of this dog's daily routine.  If something had
disrupted his nightly jaunts to the garden, behavioral problems would
have resulted.  As you go through your day, you are thinking about
where you have to go and when you have to be there.  Llnbeknownst to
you, all this information is transmitted telepathically to your animal,
so they know you are about to leave the house, not only from the hustle
and activity that precedes your departure, but also from the mental
picture you have formed of going out to the car, starting the engine,
and driving away to your destination.  In the same way, when you are on
your way home, you are transmitting images of your arrival, which your
animal picks up.  This is all part of your household routine.  If your
animal is secure in his routine and knows he will be fed and walked
regularly, played with, cared for and treated with great love and
kindness, he is apt to experience few behavioral problems.  An animal
which has had no reliable care, endured thoughtless or cruel owners or
many owners, and suffered through many changes of location, lives in a
state of insecurity.  There is nothing in his life he can rely on, so
he tends to distrust humans and rely more upon himself.  This often
produces behavioral problems since an independent animal sees little
benefit in cooperating with humans.  Sonny's Brass Horn One of my cases
involved a beautiful chestnut pleasure horse named Brass, so named
because his burnished coat glowed like the brilliant metal.  Gayle, his
most recent owner, called me because Brass would not respond to his
name or accept direction at all when she rode him.  He preferred to
follow his own lead and had taken Gayle on many wild and, occasionally,
near calamitous rides.  His favorite trick was to gallop full speed
under low-hanging branches.  Gayle had a hard time trying to stay in
the saddle.  When he was behaving, however, he was a joy to ride, Gayle
told me, with a satin-smooth gait like a rocking horse.  If Gayle
hadn't been a particularly capable and courageous rider, she might have
suffered serious injury.  As we soon discovered, Brass, though still a
stallion, was not an uncontrollable horse, merely a headstrong one.  He
wasn't trying to hurt Gayle, just gain control over a situation that
was confusing and worrisome to him.  Gayle was hoping I could find out
why Brass behaved as he did and instill a bit more cooperative spirit
in the horse.  She loved him dearly and wanted to be able to trust him
implicitly.  When I connected telepathically with Brass, he informed me
immediately and with great indignation that he would not respond to the
name Brass because that was not his name at all-his name was Sonny,
very much like my own nickname.  After I told him "Sunny" was my name
too he seemed to warm a bit.  But this was where the initial confusion
came in.  His first owner had named him Sonny's Brass Horn and called
him "Sonny," and he couldn't understand why his subsequent owners, and
there had been many, insisted upon calling him "Brass."  He was adamant
about this; "Sonny" was the only name he would answer to.  Then he told
me he was very sorry about hurting Gayle's leg.  When I told her this
she was surprised because the injury had happened more than two years
before when Sonny had panicked and jumped going over a creek,
accidentally knocking Gayle over and landing on her left leg.  Gayle
asked me to reassure Sonny that she knew it was an accident, which
greatly relieved the stallion.

Sonny then told me his life had been a series of changes, going from
one owner to the next and suffering cruel treatment at the hands of
many.  He told me one of his owners beat him with a stick, causing him
to fall to his knees and injure his right leg, which hurt him still.

He had been very frightened.  He was trying to do what the man wanted
him to do, but couldn't understand what was required of him because the
man was so angry all the time.  Sonny also told me he'd been tied up in
a pen and beaten across the forehead and back, which fortunately did
not cause him permanent physical injury.  But the abuse had left
psychological scars.  This saddened me greatly.  I have found through
working with horses that they often suffer horrendous abuse at the
hands of their trainers or handlers, beatings so severe it would kill a
smaller animal.  Is it any wonder that an animal which has been so
badly abused would then turn against humans?  Because horses are such
large animals, they are capable of inflicting serious injury on
humans.

Trainers should keep this in mind before they raise their hand to
strike a horse.  A horse may tolerate such mistreatment for a short
time, but when it decides it has had enough, the results can be quite
deadly.  Though Gayle was a kind and loving person who handled , ,..

'

Sonny gently, in her horse's experience humans were not to be
trusted.

Gayle was the first human he'd had contact with who hadn't abused
him.

He had been with Gayle more than two years and made her unhappy on more
than one occasion, yet she had never resorted to striking him.  He
wanted to know if he could continue to rely on her kindness, and I
assured him he could.  Sonny was also tired of all the moves and
disruptions in his life.  He wanted a steady routine and had taken it
upon himself to provide one.  He did not feel he could rely on anything
or anyone, not even the exceedingly patient and good-hearted Gayle, who
treated Sonny with the only love and kindness he had ever known.  After
talking to Sonny for a while, I understood his behavioral problems were
a direct result of the lack of routine in his life, combined with all
the abuse.  Mistreatment and constant change in his routine had made
Sonny fearful, rebellious and not very willing to tolerate instruction
from a human.  Sonny told me he loved Gayle very much, but they had
been through a hard time together.  He was afraid she was going to get
rid of him, and he would have to start all over with a new owner.  He
didn't want that to happen, because he loved Gayle very much and
thrived on all the attention Gayle showered upon him.  He also liked
having his own pasture, where he could run to his heart's content. When
I explained this to Gayle, she confirmed her horse had a difficult
past.  At one time she had considered selling Sonny, but now was
determined to work with him until he learned what was reduired.  When I
told Gayle how Sonny had been cruelly beaten so many times, she started
to cry.  She had no idea he had been so badly abused.  She promised to
start addressing Brass by his preferred name of Sonny, and told me she
was beginning to understand why he was so stubborn and willful, and so
very skittish whenever a man approached him.  In Sonny's experience,
the appearance of a man meant a beating would soon follow.  After a
time, Sonny had gotten used to Gayle's husband, Phil, who was as kind
as Gayle.  He allowed Phil to approach him in the stall or pasture
without bolting.  But all other men who came to work with Sonny, even
if they were gentle, sent the stallion into a nervous state.  Sonny
told me Phil was very worried Gayle would be seriously injured in a
fall because of all the wild rides he had been giving her.  He'd
overheard Phil urging Gayle to sell him.  I told this to Gayle and she
said that Phil was indeed worried because of the ongoing problems with
Sonny, but Gayle was determined to keep her horse and work through
them.  She wasn't worried about being hurt, because she knew the big
stallion meant her no harm.  After speaking with Gayle, I assured Sonny
he had a permanent home with her.  He would not be moved again.  I
picked up a distinct love between Gayle and her horse, and knew he
wanted to please her, so I told Sonny he must listen to Gayle, and do
what she asked him to do.

I reminded him of the love Gayle showed him daily, and the kind and
thoughtful care she provided and would continue to provide for him.  He
knew Gayle would not harm him in any way, and I told him he could trust
that feeling and trust Gayle.  But he had to mend his ways and take
care of Gayle when she rode him.  Gayle had said she was particularly
worried about Sonny's tendency to get out of control when they were in
the forest.  He ran full speed after other horses in the woods with
little regard for Gayle's safety.  He sent me many pictures of Gayle
falling off his back and she confirmed it happened more frequently than
she liked, though it wasn't always Sonny's fault.  He then told me he
always waited for Gayle after she fell.  Gayle confirmed this and said
she considered it quite a bonus.  Otherwise, she would have been in for
many long walks after taking a spill in the middle of nowhere.

Interestingly, when I tried to talk to Sonny about the importance of
Gayle's safety, he moved away from the fence and started- eating -ass,
the picture of indifferent nonchalance.  I knew immediately that he
didn't want to hear this.  He thought the chases in the forest were a
game and great fun.  He loved stretching his legs and running
full-speed to see if he could pass up the other horses.  He hadn't
really been aware of Gayle on his back, hanging on to her wildly
charging steed for her very life.  When I told Sonny his reckless
behavior was a big problem for Gayle and that he had to be responsible
for her safety when she was riding him, he moved back to the fence and
started listening again.  I told him he must pretend that he and Gayle
were one and, therefore, had to move together.  He couldn't go running
off wildly into the woods anymore, endangering Gayle with his
high-spirited play.  I also explained to Gayle that she could help the
problem by putting herself inside of Sonny's body and feeling herself
to be a horse, with her arms as his front legs and her own legs as his
back legs.  This way she could telepathically transmit the behavior she
expected of him.  If she wanted him to go slowly, she should imagine
her own limbs moving slowly in a smooth, steady gait, and transmit that
picture and feeling to Sonny.  If she wanted him to halt, she should
transmit that telepathically and Sonny would pick it up in his energy
body and understand it much more quickly than any spoken command.  If
she could imagine herself to be one with the horse, the same as I had
instructed Sonny, then they would learn to work together beautifully.

Gayle called the next day to say she'd had an interesting canter with
Sonny that morning.  She said his gait was slower and choppy, almost as
if he was trying very hard to rein himself in and provide her with a
safe ride.  I told her that we would keep working with him to let him
know what she wanted, and that she would have the horse of her dreams
by the time we were finished.  When next I visited, I discovered a
distinct pride in Sonny.  He told me he was a beautiful horse, which he
was, and that he was a good jumper and could run very fast.  That love
of speed was the very thing which was worrying Gayle, so I told Sonny
he could run as fast as he liked when Gayle was not on his back, but
that whenever she was in the saddle, he had to keep his speed down and
listen to Gayle.  He said he would try his best to do this, because he
loved Gayle and Phil, and wanted to please them.  He was intelligent
enough to realize the connection between his inappropriate behavior and
Phil's fears for Gayle's safety and was determined to do his part to
keep Gayle safe on his back.  Though Sonny is still difficult at times,
Gayle reports his behavior and responsiveness is steadily improving.

She has learned she cannot expose Sonny to unfamiliar men because it
stirs bad memories, which in turn, trigger bouts of inappropriate
behavior in the horse.  She is careful to maintain Sonny's daily
routine and not throw him any curves, because his checkered past has
left him with little ability to cope with unfamiliar situations, which
he always interprets as threatening.

The establishment of a reliable routine has had a most beneficial
effect in this situation.  Whenever I communicate with Sonny, I find he
is becoming more relaxed and secure in the permanence of his home with
Gayle and Phil.  Gayle is concentratin on developing her ability to
communicate telepathically with Sonny, which pleases him immensely.

Sonny and Gayle have developed an even deeper and more spiritual bond
as a result of their telepathic communication.  Topa2 My client Sylvia
called me from New York because she was having a problem paper-training
her red miniature poodle, Topaz.  Sylvia lived in an apartment in
Manhattan.  She had suffered through a year-long period of ill health,
during which time she had mostly been confined to bed and hadn't been
able to take Topaz out.  She had been trying to teach him to relieve
himself on papers in a tiled bathroom, where any spillover would be
easy to clean up.  But Topaz kept going in the hallway, which annoyed
Sylvia's housemate, David, to no end.  David was kindhearted and had
been trying to help Sylvia with the training, but they were not getting
consistent results, When I connected with Topaz, I discovered a very
chatty, sociable dog, a real personality.  I soon found the source of
his confusion was the change in his routine.  Before Sylvia became ill,
he had been taken outside for walks, and encouraged to relieve himself
there.  After Sylvia could no longer take him out, Topaz couldn't
understand what was required of him.  Topaz mentioned to me that he was
a "star."  I asked what he meant and he told me he went with David to
entertain sick people and shut-ins as a clown dog.  That gave me an
idea.  I told Topaz that stars didn't make messes in the hallway; that
they always went on the paper in the bathroom.  I relayed to Sylvia
what I had told Topaz and she confirmed the dog had worked briefly with
David, But the long hours away from her owner became difficult once
Sylvia became ill.

She decided to keep the dog home with her to relieve the monotony of
her confinement.  She loved the little dog dearly and his cheerful
company took her mind off her illness.  The only problem was with his
paper training.

Topaz was proud he had been able to cheer Sylvia during her illness and
wanted to do whatever he could to help her.  He, promised me he would
go on the paper, and stop wetting in the hall.  But he wasn't through
talking, not at all.  He told me he';

liked his new red collar much better than his old one and liked
socializing when he went to the pet center, where Sylvia sent him so he
could play with other dogs.  He also mentioned that he wished Sylvia
would put his scarf back on.  Sylvia was astounded when I told her
that, because he'd only worn the scarf once, almost six months
before.

Still, Topaz remembered the scarf and felt it made him look very
beautiful.  Sylvia laughed and told me she would have to initiate a
search for the scarf since she couldn't quite remember where she'd put
it.

Then Topaz bragged that his mommy took him to the "beauty parlor" all
the time and that made him even more beautiful than he already was.

When I told this to Sylvia she laughed again, and confirmed that Topaz
indeed enjoyed his regular visits to the groomer, where they doted on
the charismatic little dog.

The next week, Sylvia reported that Topaz had started going on the
paper immediately after I had talked to him, never missing.  David
couldn't believe it; he had tried everything he knew to train Topaz,
and here, after one conversation, the little dog finally understood
what was required and had started doing it perfectly.  But I cautioned
Sylvia that it was important to keep up the routine with Topaz,
praising him every time he went on the paper.

Things went well until Sylvia went to her summer home in North
Carolina.  The change in routine and location threw Topaz off and he
started having accidents again.  Sylvia called, and I asked her about
her new schedule.  She told me that in North THE PET PSYCHIC 97

Carolina, she expected Topaz to go outside the house, which had a large
arden.  This was completely different from what was required of him at
home in Manhattan.  The confusion had caused the same old problem we
had solved in New York to resurface.

I explained to Sylvia that everything was brand-new for Topaz in North
Carolina.  Fortunately, she had recovered her health and was able to
take Topaz outside, but Topaz had not yet made the connection between
going outside and relieving himself.  Sylvia was frustrated because he
often relieved himself inside as soon as he returned from a walk.  Of
course he did, because that was the routine he was used to.

I told Sylvia to try and connect to Topaz telepathically whenever they
went outside, and to send him the physical feelings and urgency of
having to go to the bathroom so that he could understand what she
wanted.  I also communicated with him and explained that as this house
had a lovely garden, he could relieve himself outside.

At first, we didn't have much success and Sylvia called me back,
complaining that she walked Topaz three times a day but he always had
an indoor accident right after his walk.  When I connected to Topaz, I
got a picture of a "walk" that was very fast indeed, perhaps no more
than three minutes, and certainly not long enough for a dog who is not
sure what to do.  Don't forget that dogs like to sniff several dozen
spots bef re deciding where to go, and this can be quite time-consuming
even without the added element of Topaz's confusion.  I told Sylvia she
had to walk Topaz for at least twenty minutes each time, to give him a
chance to understand what she wanted and to perform accordingly.  I
told her to use voice commands, and transmit feelings of urgency
telepathically to Topaz, so he would get the idea of relieving himself
in the garden before he went back inside the house.  98SONYA
TiTZPARiCK

This seemed to do the trick and Topaz soon understood that the change
in his location had resulted in a change in what was required of him.

He stopped soiling indoors.  I cautioned Sylvia there was a slight
chance she might undergo another period of difficulty once she returned
to Manhattan.  It was my feelinp though, that Topaz had the hang of
what was expected of him in New York and would not have a problem
readjusting to that routine.

Though her business often requires that she be in New York, I wish
Sylvia could stay in North Carolina, because Topaz has told me he loves
it there.  He enjoys the romps in the lovely garden and being able to
watch the garden through the windows of the house when he is inside
with Sylvia.

The only problem now is that telepathic communication has changed
Topaz's whoe personality.  He has asked me why Sylvia can't talk to him
the same way I can.  I've told him that she can and that she is working
very hard to learn how to do it.  Sylvia has told me Topaz now expects
to talk; that he literally starts "talking" whenever she starts
speaking and expects to be understood.  She can see it in his face.

However, much like Sonny, when the topic turns to a problematic area,
Topaz is not nearly so interested in the conversation.

Larkspur

I had a very sad case with a cat named Larkspur.  His owners consulted
me because he was having accidents all over the house.  At first I
thought it was a typical litter box problem, but when I connected
telepathically to the cat, I discovered his owners were always leaving
him unexpectedly for long periods of time while they traveled.  Though
they had Larkspur since he was a kitten' THE PET PSYCHIC 99

they had never bothered to establish a routine with him, and the poor
cat never knew what was going to happen from one day to the next.  Just
as some parents don't tell their children what is appening even if it
impacts them dramatically, so too did Larkspur's owners fail to inform
him of the upcoming changes in his environment.  Because of this, he
lived in a state of distress.

Once, when the couple left the country, Larkspur was sent to live with
the man's mother for three months, an arrangement the cat liked because
the woman was very kind to him and paid him a lot of attention.  During
that time, Larkspur didn't have a single accident.

But for the next trip, the couple decided to put Larkspur with the
man's sister for six months.  The sister was far less patient with
animals than her mother had been, especially after Larkspur started
having accidents.  She raised her voice to the cat and even struck
him.

Though I could fully understand her desire to maintain a clean house,
free from the smell and stains that accompany pet accidents, I don't
agree with her technique.  The angrier she got, the more frightened and
confused Larkspur became.

Though I tried to explain it to them, Larkspur's owners couldn't see
the connection between their erratic schedule and their cat's
accidents.  They absolutely did not understand the importance of
establishing a good routine to help their cat behave as they
expected.

Larkspur was completely unsure of their expectations of him.  Because
he didn't have one certain place to go to the bathroom, he became
confused and started relieving himself wherever he happened to be at
the moment.

When I connected to Larkspur telepathically, I discovered there was
also an element of anger in his behavior.  His life was a series of
scenes his family packing and leaving hi again and100 SONYA TITZPATRICK
s a again and it distressed him terribly.  The only way he knew to let
them know how unhappy he was and that he didn't want his family to
leave him again was to make a mess in the house.

When I explained this to the owners, they said they had to travel
because their business required it.  I can certainly understand how, in
certain lines of work or if a couple is retired, this may be true.  But
my immediate thought was, why have a pet then if you must travel so
much that you cannot give it a proper home?  Time and again, I find
people acquire pets for reasons of their own, giving little or no
thought to the needs of the animal.

Like children, animals need guidance, training, and companionship.

They require a commitment of time and caring to thrive.  Puppies are
not born with an innate understanding that they must relieve themselves
outside and not on your carpets.  You must teach them what you expect,
and show them where to go.  Cats have a natural inclination to exercise
their claws by scratching, and furniture fits that need quite nicely.

You must gently teach them that furniture is not to be scrathed, and
provide them with a suitable alternative.  Such training requires
patience and compassion.  If you love your furniture more than you love
your pet, then don't have a pet.

The easiest way to avoid problems with your pet is to establish a
reliable routine in the beginning and stick with it.  Don't constantly
change the rules or your expectations, because your pet cannot keep up
with such inconsistency.

All animals need open and regular displays of your affection.  It is
important that they feel a valued part of their human family.  They
also need to know when their routine is going to change;

when you will be gone and for how long; when a new pet is coming in; or
when you plan to move.  It may sound silly for me to say you must
discuss these things with your pet, but taking THE PET PS CHIC 101

the time to do so can truly save you much difficulty down the road.

If you do have to alter the routine, remember that all animals are
different.  If your pets have trouble adapting to the requirements of a
new environment, just be patient with them until you can establish a
new routine.  The establishment of such routines early on with your pet
will make for a mutually rewarding and satisfying relationship.  Pets
want to please us but before they can do so, we have to communicate
very clearly what we expect of them.  Once we get our pets into a good
routine, the rest is pure enjoyment.

WHILE establishing a regular routine with your pet is important, it is
just as important to select an animal that suits your lifestyle.

Choosing a pet whose size and physical requirements closey match your
home environment and daily schedule can head off many problems.  In the
next chapter, I will discuss what it takes to be a responsible pet
parent, covering everything from the selection of a pet to proper
veterinary care to preparing for an emergency situation..a?  \

<A,.

CHAPTER IGHT

For the Love of Animals

<&

How to Be a Responsibe Pet Parent

There are some people who think of animals as commodities that they buy
and own just like a car or house or tee vision set.  Nothing could be
further from the truth.  Like a child, a companion animal is a gift
from the universe that relies upon you for food, shelter and comfort,
and in return, gives you unconditional love.

While most people do try to take good care of their pets, some keep
their animals under shocking conditions.  Whether from ignorance or
indifference, this sort of maltreatment breaks my heart.  In this
chapter I will cover the principal responsibilities of being a good pet
parent, and offer suggestions to make your pets life as comfortable and
enjoyable as possible.

Pet Selection

There are many different sizes and breeds of domestic animals.  When
you decide you would like an animal companion in your life, there are
many things you must take into consideration.  THE TET PSYCHIC 103

First, what sort of space do you have available?  If you live in a
800-square-foot condominium and have no yard, it would be cruel to
select a large dog like a Great Dane for your companion because you can
never meet his needs for exercise and play in such a small space unless
you are prepared to walk him several miles every day.  Better to select
a small dog like a Chihuahua or Yorkie who would be more than happy in
a cozy little space.  When selecting a pet, you also must take into
account the animal's natural habitat.  If a dog has been bred to
withstand extremely cold temperatures like an Akita or Husky, and you
live in a region with high heat and humidity, you must take special
steps to ensure the dog's comfort.  Have their coats shaved down and
keep them in air-conditioning.  Do not leave them outside!  Walk them
early in the morning and in the cooler temperatures of the early
evening, never at midday.

Dogs with heavy coats suffer tremendously when subjected to summer
heat, so it's best not to select such a breed if you live in the deep
South or the desert, or any place where temperatures are higher than
average.  By the same token, if you live in a climate that is very cold
with lots of ice and snow, it would not be wise to pick a dog that has
a light, thin coat like a Greyhound or Ridgeback bred for warm
climates.

Don't insist on having a named breed if you want a dog or cat.  There
are thousands of mixed-breed puppies and kittens that need homes in our
animal shelters.  Mixed breeds make wonderful and loving companions,
for nature has made hybrids strong in both body and spirit.  In fact,
some pure breeds are suffering woes as a consequence of generations of
reckless and shortsighted breeding practices.  Bulldogs, Mastiffs,
Golden Retrievers and even little Dachshunds can develop a terribly
painful and crippling disease known as hip dysplasia when breeders are
not careful about watching which lines they are mixing.104 SONYA

TITZPATRICK :(

v .

Now you should consider what age pet to adopt.  If you have' lots of
time to spend training an anima, you may well desire a puppy or
kitten.

If your time is constricted or you feel you don't have the patience or
the resources to properly train your pet, you should consider getting
an older animal that has arcady been house-trained and knows how to
respond to simple commands such as, "sit" or "stay."  If you have very
small children, I don't recommend getting a puppy or kitten.  Human
babies and animal babies are rarely a good mix, because each can hurt
the other without meaning to.  Toddlers can squeeze and hit and pull
tails, while puppies and kittens can nip and scratch.  Find a breed
that is good with children.  Research before you bring the animal into
the home as some breeds have more easygoing temperaments, which make
them more suitable for homes with small children.

Next, consider whether or not anyone in your home suffers from
pet-related allergies.  If they do, it would be wise to limit your
selection to animals without fur like birds, fish or reptiles like
iguanas, as they generaly do not trigger alergic reactions in sensitive
individuas.  If you absolutely must have a dog, select a short-haired
breed that doesn't shed like the Ridgeback and that should minimize
allergy problems.

Finay, you have to decide how many animals you want to adopt.  Take
into consideration the size of your living quarters and the amount of
time you have to spend with your animal.  If you spend all day at work,
then your pet would dearly appreciate another animal as a companion,
but it is always best to adopt them together.  If you are adopting
kittens from a shelter and they are siblings, always take at least two
(two are just as easy as one).  They have become used to depending upon
each other and it is traumatic to separate them.  They will cry for
each other pitiably; you can head off potential problems by taking two
kit-THE TET PSYCH1C 10

tens home instead of just one, not to mention that two kittens are much
more fun to watch than one and are just as easy to care for.

Food

Unfortunately, much of the food that is commercially available for
domestic pets is filled with additives and cheap ingredients that can
be detrimental to your pet's health.  On March 11, 1997, the New York
Times published an investigative article revealing that parts from
diseased animals are used in the manufacture of some types of cat and
dog food, and it is in this fashion that disease can be spread.

Pets require good nutrition to thrive and remain healthy.  The easiest
way to ensure the health of your pets is to cook for them yourself.

You can steam a pound of brown rice along with sliced garlic, green
peas and carrots as a good nutritious base.  Then mix it with diced
roasted chicken.  Your dogs will gobble down this delicious meal time
after time.  This recipe has the added advantage of acting as a natural
flea repellent because eating garlic is a blood purifier and causes a
subtle change in a dog's body odor that fleas don't like.

Cats require more protein than dogs do.  In fact, if a cat is fed food
formulated for a dog long enough, it can actually go blind from a lack
of protein.  Sadly, many of our ocean fish are contaminated with
mercury and other heavy metal, but I still do give my cats raw meat,
fresh fish, grains and eggs.

Animals love treats, but not all treats are created equal.  Select
those made from wholesome, natural ingredients.  Be careful in your
selection of brand and avoid those that contain cheap fillers and
chemical preservatives.  Use treats such as dog biscuits to106 SONYA
TiTZPATRCK

help train your animal and to reward him for good behavior.  Be careful
not to feed too many or else you will disrupt your pet's feeding
schedule and may even cause an unhealthy weight gain.

Many municipal water supplies are contaminated with heav metals like
lead or contain additives like fluoride that can be detrimental to your
animal's health.  Always give your animal filtered or bottled water to
drink and never use tap water if you can avoid it.  Change the water
daily to keep it fresh, particularly in hot weather.  Water that has
been sitting out for several days develops a stale, flat taste, and
most pets will not drink it.  Once a week, clean the water dish
thoroughly with salt and rinse it thoroughly to prevent the formation
of algae in the bowl.  If you have many animals, you may wish to invest
in a pet drinking fountain, which keeps a continuous supply of fresh,
filtered water circulating through a drinking basin.

It is unfortunate that many veterinary practices offer and promote a
very selective range of brand-name pet foods and very rarely advise or
comment on the benefits of home pet food preparation as a healthier and
cheaper alternative, which can be further improved by the judicious
addition of selected nutrients.  For information about preparing your
pet's diet yourself, I recommend a wonderful book called, The Nature of
Animal Healing, by Martin Goldstein, D.V.M."  published by Alfred M.
Knopf.

Toys

It is part of animals' nature's to play, so you should provide
appropriate toys.  Animals that are bored because they are lonely and
have nothing to amuse themselves with can develop behavioral problems
like chewing and barking.  Better to head the problem off before it
develops.

Dogs naturaly like to chew, so be sure you provide plenty

THE ET TSYCHIC 107

of chewable objects or else they'll find your best shoes or the corner
of a convenient table and gnaw away.  There are many different brands
of chews on the market, but not all are safe.  Tragically, several dogs
lost their lives during the past few years due to intestinal
obstructions caused by broken pieces of hard plastic from a particular
nationally known brand of chew bone (it has since been removed from the
market).

Balls and Frisbees are another favorite dog toy because dogs love to
retrieve items that have been thrown.  Just be sure the ball is large
enough to prevent your dog from swallowing it and made of a sturdy
material that will stand up to chewing.  If you're out with your dog
and find that you have forgotten its toys, you can always pick up a
sturdy stick for a rousing game of pitch and fetch.

Dogs also like to play tug-o-war.  There are several rope toys designed
for this very game; again select one that is an appropriate size for
your dog.  Dogs also love stuffed animals; in fact, they can be quite
possessive and protective of them.  Just be sure to treat your pets
equally; if you buy a toy or a treat for one, make sure you do the same
for all of them, or problems of jealousy may arise that can lead to
fighting.  Also watch for problems with bones.  You may find that dogs
that never fight at any other time may fight over bones, so always pick
up all the bones from the floor before you go out.  Some of my worst
cases of dogs fighting while their human companions are out happened
because the dogs were left alone with bones and got into a tussle

0 0

over them.  In one case, a dog lost an eye in this sort of fight, so be
very careful.

Cat toys are another matter altogether.  They usually feature lots of
action, maybe even a bell or whistle, and probably contain at nip to
spark your cat's interest.  Cats are particularly fond of all catnip
mice they can carry around in their mouths like aJUIA rilZlAlKlLK

baby.  Feathers attached to a stick with elastic strings that th can
chase through the air are another popular cat toy.  Cats al love to
crouch and leap and hide and pretend they are jun tigers.  There are
several excellent cat trees available that featuj a variety of hiding
holes and climbing poles.  Cats love them.H

As discussed in chapter 4 don't forget to provide your <H with a
suitable scratching post.  It must be of sufficient height |1 allow
your cat to stretch from end to end when its claws aH sunk into its
top.  And it must be strong and sturdy enough |1 stand up to your cat's
weight.  If it tips over, your cat will like|B become frightened and
will not use the post again after that.  ia

Remember that each animal has its own unique personality.  Don't be
upset if your animal companion doesn't seem to be interested in a toy
you have picked out.  Many animals ask me what happened to their blue
toy or their mouse.  People often think if an animal does not play with
a toy they should give it away, or put the toy where the animal can no
longer see it.  Some animals just enjoy looking at their toys even
though they don't play with them.  Just because they don't play with a
particular toy doesn't mean they don't like it.  Pets get upset when
you give them a present and then take it away.

The important thing is to find something your pet enjoys and play with
them frequently.  Pets regularly need your undivided attention.  Many
behavior problems stem from you not playing with your pets often enough
or spending enough time talking with them, down on your knees and
nose-to-nose.  A regular playtime accomplishes several things.  It
provides healthy exercise for your pet and releases pent-up energy for
both of you.  It | makes your pet feel loved and valued when you spend
quality j| time playing with it.  And finally, playtime builds and
seals the bond of love and mutual appreciation between you and your ||
animal companion.  1|in fl Tti IW

Bedin

Your animal companion needs a comfortable place to call his own where
he can lie down and sleep undisturbed each night.  Beautiful dog and
cat beds are available in a variety of colors, sizes and styles.  Of
course, most of us just have our pets sleep in our own beds.  Just be
sure there is enough room for everyone!  My seven dogs and cats take up
an.  enormous amount of room in my bed!

My dogs and cats share my bed as I know many of your pets do.  However,
some dogs and cats prefer to have their own bed as well as sharing
ours.  My home is animal friendly and is designed around my furry
companions with tiled floors and no carpets downstairs.  I put white
cotton bed throws over my sofas so they always look fresh and chic.  I
wash them in very hot water with non chlorine bleach.

I have Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic chairs with loose white covers, which
are easy to take off and wash.  I find white is a fab color.  People
often say to me, "White shows the dirt."  My reply is that I want to
see the dirt, not hide it.

My bed is always covered with a giant Mattisse cotton cover and my dogs
and cats can go on my bed whenever they like.  The cover is very easy
to wash.  I also have cushioned wicker beds on the floor throughout the
house and my cats love these beds.

You may also wish to keep small blankets or towels to cover your
furniture so that your pet may jump up and relax without fear of
soiling or staining.  It is much easier to throw a blanket into the
wash than to try and remove a stain from an expensive sofa.  To them, a
sofa or chair in their house is a natural part of their environment and
it's very confusing when they are allowed on some chairs or furniture
some of the time but not all the110 SONA TiTZPATRICK

time.  Either allow your pets on the furniture all the time or keep
them off.  They do not think like humans and cannot understand
conflicting directions regarding furniture.  Better to cover all our
furniture and keep it clean by frequently washing the covers.  Then,
when company comes, all you have to do is remove and fold the covers
and your lovely furniture will be ready to greet guests.  Even easier
is to select decorative washable overs that match the color of your
furniture, so that your home is always ready to welcome a visitor.

If you have a small caged pet like a hamster or a lizard, it is
essential that you change the bedding every few days.  A dirty cage can
result in a whole host of problems for small animals, including an
increased incidence of infection, loss of appetite and behavioral
changes like pacing or incessant chewing.  Even if the pet belongs to
your child, it is your responsibility as the adult in the house to make
sure the pet's living conditions are optimal.  Children often forget
their chores, so before you allow a pet into your home, know that your
child might not be responsible about the pet's daily care.  If you
leave it up to the child, the animal will suffer.  We choose to have
our pets come into our homes, and we are obligated by that choice to do
the very best we can by them.

Exercise

Just like humans, animals must exercise regularly to maintain strong
and healthy bodies.  If you have a dog, one good long walk a day of
perhaps thirty minutes will allow your dog to run, explore, sniff and
examine to its heart's content.

I have frequently been called to help locate lost dogs that have been
confined to a narrow half block or block radius from their homes on
their walks.  While some dogs can pick up a familiar, Ite scent to find
their way home, other dogs become frightened and confused and often
start running without stopping to smell for clues.  When they stop
running they are unable to locate anything that is familiar to them and
they are completely lost and disoriented.

Once these poor animals get lost they are truly lost, because they
don't recognize any familiar landmarks once they get more than a block
from home.  Start today taking your dog on far ranging walks to
acquaint him with the whole of your neighborhood and its natural
boundaries such as large streets, creeks, fences, etc.  This will
benefit not only his health but also yours, and in the event that your
pet does get lost, offer a much greater likelihood that he will find
his way home using familiar landmarks along the way.

Many people believe that when they have a yard or acreage it is not
necessary to walk with their dogs, but that is not true.  t is very
important for you to walk with your dogs every day.  Imagine how you
would feel cooped up in the yard all day.  Dogs love to share a walk
with their human companions and daily walking not only provides
excellent exercise for both human and dog, it gives your pet a sense of
comfort and familiarity with the neighborhood surrounding their
homes.

Dogs that do happen to get out of their yards will know how to find
their way back if they already know the neighborhood landmarks
firsthand.

Dogs love to sniff and pick up messages from other dogs' scents along
the way; they also like to leave messages of their own for other
canines to investigate.  So give them plenty of time to sniff out the
messages left by other dogs.  It's rather like when you are reading a
letter from a friend.  Just as you may reread your favorite parts over
and over again, dogs may like to linger for quite a while at a
particularly intriguing spot.  If you pull them away too quickly
without giving them time to investigate1 12SONYA TITZPATRICK

all the scents along your path, it's just as if someone had yanked your
friend's letter from your hands before you had time to finish reading
it.  You would be upset by such a circumstance, so give your dogs time
to finish reading their "letters" during their daily walks.

A word of warning about letting your dogs out on acreage without
supervision: many people who live in the country have had dogs lost or
stolen when they've left them out alone.  Many of my clients have found
that their dogs have not returned home after they let them out to sun
alone or to roam with other dogs in the woods or surrounding
countryside.  When dogs are out in such circumstances, pack instincts
may take over and the pack may well lead your beloved pet deeper and
deeper into the wild.  Better to fence off a portion of your land so
that your dogs may be kept safe and close to your home.

I had one very sad case with a young man Brian, who loved his two dogs
passionately.  He lived on ten wooded acres.  One day his dogs did not
return home after he had let them out to run.  He was puzzled because
he had been letting them out daily for five years with no problems.  An
animal-control officer who saw the two dogs running shot them both and
claimed he did so because the dogs had attacked him.  Brian knew this
could not be true as his dogs were very friendly and often met with his
neighbors on their runs.  He was unable to bring a case against the
animal-control officer since the dogs had been incinerated as soon as
the officer returned to the pound, destroying any evidence.  After
making further inquiries, Brian discovered this had happened to many
other people's pets in the vicinity and that this officer had a habit
of shooting dogs that were running loose in their rural neighborhood.

Brian's story is not the only sad story of dogs being lost by their
human parents after they were THE TET PSYCHIC 113

allowed to run free without supervision.  So keep your dogs safe;

it is up to you.

For you singles out there, there have been studies proving that people
who want to chat and socialize are five times more likely to approach
someone walking a dog than someone just walking alone.  Dogs are a
natural icebreaker in social situations and dog lovers feel naturally
drawn to someone who is walking a dog.  So don't sit home moping
another night.  Get out the leash and take your best friend to the
park.  You may meet someone very special there!

Cats are more problematical.  You cannot put a cat in a harness and
expect it to cheerfully follow you about as a dog will.  So offer
plenty of opportunities inside your home for your cat to climb, jump
and stretch.  Just like dogs, cats love a good game of chase, but
instead of chasing you or a Frisbee, cats like to chase stuffed toys
that look like mice and birds.  If you play chase and provide both good
scratching and climbing surfaces, your cat should get all the exercise
it needs.

If you have small animals like hamsters, it is essential that you
provide exercise wheels for them.  Without proper exercise, many
animals may become sick and grow weak.

If you look upon your pet's requirements for regular exercise as an
opportunity rather than a challenge, you may well find your own health
improving along with that of your pet.  If you are the sort who doesn't
enjoy exercise, think how much more enjoyable your daily walk will be
with the company of your animal companion.  Together, the two of you
can beat the battle of the bulge.

Cleanliness and Pest Control

All animals are subject to attack by pests such as fleas and ticks.

Regular and thorough cleaning can go a long way toward eliminating
these nuisance insects.  Weekly washing of your pet's bedding and
regular vacuuming of your floors and carpets will interrupt the
insect's life cycle and keep new generations from hatching.

Consult with your veterinarian about the type of flea repellent he
recommends.  Don't use strong chemical insecticides as these poisons
can have devastating consequences for your pet.  In the past two years
there have been a rash of cat deaths following the application of a
commercial poison that destroyed their neurological systems.  These
poisons are cheap and readily available in discount department stores,
but is it really worth risking your pet's life and well-being just to
save a few dollars on pest control each month?

In warm climates, you must also take steps to protect your pet from
heart worms which are transmitted by mosquitoes.  Once-a-month
treatments are available that offer total heartworm protection, and
some brands are combined with a flea and tick repellant as well.  Your
veterinarian can recommend the right formula and dosage for your pet.

Be sure to have your pet tested for heart worms before giving the first
dose as the treatment is somewhat different for animals that already
have them in their systems.

Misbehavior

Behavioral problems of one sort or another are one of the most frequent
reasons why people consult me about their animal companions.  There is
always a logical reason why the pet is behaving as it is, and it always
relates back to something its human has said or done, or left unsaid or
undone; that is generally the root of the problem.

Remember that animals are aware of everything we say and even what we
are thinking.  They pick up our thoughts on the telepathic channel.

So, if you are thinking of getting rid of an animal, this can produce
enormous stress, which in turn, can lead to behavioral problems.  You
might be asking, "Well, if he knows I am thinking about giving him away
because he is misbehaving, wouldn't that make him want to act
better?"

But animals' minds do not work in the same logical way that ours do.

They act out their worry and fear in ways that may seem contrary to us,
but it is their way of telling us they are distressed about
something.

It is up to us to work out what is causing the problem and remedy the
situation.

My friend Elvia contacted me because her beautiful oranpewinged Amazon
parrot, Luna Balloona, had started picking out all her feathers.  When
I connected to the bird telepathically, I found she was distressed
because she missed the green eucalyptus leaves that Elvia used to put
in her cage.  She missed this element from her natural environment;

living without green leaves and trees around her made Luna unhappy.

Elvia was amazed when I told her what Luna had said.  She told me that
the tree she obtained these leaves from was by her mechanic's shop and
that after the mechanic moved, she stopped getting the leaves, not
realizing what an effect this would have on Luna.  It so happened the
tree was also very close to her vet's office, so the next time she went
there, she stood on the hood of her car and pulled down an armful of
branches for Luna to enjoy.  When Elvia and her husband move to their
summer residence, there are no eucalyptus leaves to be had, so once a
month, she has a friend send her a big box of eucalyptus branches to
keep Luna happy.

No matter what the animal's problem behavior nipping, nervous barking,
chewing, spraying, scratching, soiling you can be assured that it has
its origins in something a human has said116 SONA TITZPATR1CK I

;

or done.  When I talk to dogs that are excessively nervous around
people, I almost always find that they have been beaten or have
experienced cruelty from a huan in the past so they do not trust
humans.

It takes time, love and patience to restore trust in a dog that has
been badly treated, but the joy you will experience in your loving bond
with such a dog is well worth the investment of your time.  I find that
a housebroken animal that suddenly starts having accidents is usually
upset by a change in routine;

perhaps there's a new baby in the house or the family has moved or
introduced a new pet.  If you are sensitive to these changes and make
sure to spend some extra time with your pet each day to reassure him of
his importance, it will go a long way toward heading off potential
problems.

If you would like to establish better communication with your pet, read
through the chapter on telepathic language so that you will know how to
better explain to your furry friend in a language that he understands
exactly what you want from him.

Moving

One of the most stressful situations for pets (as well as humans) is
moving.  All their familiar and comfortable toys and furniture are
suddenly whisked away and packed into trucks and boxes.  There's an
ongoing commotion of strange people coming and going and a general
tenseness your animals can sense.

Of course, moving is a fact of life.  Whether we are changing jobs,
moving closer to relatives, retiring, or whatever the reason, there are
going to be times in our lives when it is unavoidable.  You can spare
your pet a lot of misery and uncertainty by taking a few simple steps
before you start the moving process.

When you know for certain that you will be moving, you can be sure that
your pet knows it as well.  Cats will not share your THE ET TSYCHIC
same confidence and enthusiasm, but dogs often enjoy a change and will
be very happy as long as you are with them.

Spend a few quiet minutes with your pets explaining the move and
describing the new house they will be going to.  Reassure them that you
love them and that they are a very important part of your life.  Tell
them that you will make sure the move goes as smoothly as possible for
them.

Do not let their favorite toys and bedding be swept up willy nilly in
the excitement of the move.  Make a moving kit in much the same way
that you prepare an emergency kit for your animal.  Include favorite
toys, treats and bedding, and a recently worn item that has your scent
on it to comfort your pet during the move.  Make sure you get your
pet's health records from your veterinarian so your new veterinarian
can know its health history.

If you are just moving across town, transport your pet yourself but
explain to him how he will experience the journey.  If you are moving
across country you will have to rely on an airline or some other
shipping service to move your pet.  You must prepare your pet for this
journey by telling him in advance everything that will happen.

You have to use your imagination.  Put yourself into your animal
friend's body and try to experience the move as he would.  If you have
a cat, put a T-shirt with your scent on it inside the carrier, or see
the pet carrier and feel yourself going into the carrier, sending
calmness to your pet as you go.  Explain that you are going to cover
the crate to help them make the journey more comfortably.  Hear the
unfamiliar noises with your ears, the smell of the airport and feel the
crate being transported.  Become your cat or dog in that crate; put
yourself into his body.  Smell the tarmac with your nose, the journey
through the airport.  Hear the noises of the plane with your ears,
feeling calmness all the while.  If you remember to transmit a sense of
calm to your pet118 SONYA TITZPATRICK IP

:\ :

during the actual move, he will pick up this feeling from you
telepathically and it will ease his fears considerably.  This will go a
long way toward helping your pet successfully coe through the trauma of
a move.

Once you reach your new home, you must watch your pet carefully and
keep him confined indoors for a number of weeks.  More cats and dogs
are lost during moves than at any other times.  Cats particularly have
a habit of running off from a new home and after one is lost, you
occasionally hear of one showing up hundreds of miles away and months
later, thin and bedraggled, at the doorstep of their old, familiar
home.  Walk your dog daily to familiarize him with the scents of his
new neighborhood and keep your cats confined indoors for at least two
weeks following the move to give them a chance to bond with their new
surroundings.

Animals may be upset by a move because the scent of their new home is
strange to them.  You can help them with the transition by bringing a
rug or blanket from the old house so that they have a familiar smell to
comfort them.  Don't wash it for a while.  This helps them adjust to
the scents in the new environment

While moving can be a traumatic experience, with a little bit of
planning you can make sure that it goes as well as possible.  By
speaking the telepathic language your animal understands and
experiencing what he will experience beforehand, the move will be much
less traumatic for him.

Emergenc Preparedness Planning for Your Pets' Needs in a Time of
Crisis

No one of us is immune from accidents or disaster.  Emergencies can
strike any time, anywhere, often with no warning.  Some of THE TET

TSYCHIC 119

you may well have a small family emergency kit prepared extra batteries
along with a short-wave radio, blankets, spare clothing, a few gallons
of water and a few cans of food (and don't forget a can opener!).  But
have you thought of what your animal companions might need in such
circumstances?

Hardly a day goes by that we don't read of some natural or man-made
disaster fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, mud slides and all too
often, animals suffer needlessly from these events because their human
companions failed to take their needs into account.  And how often do
we hear tragic stories of animals abandoned in the face of a fire or
flood because their owners mistakenly believed the pet could "fend for
itself?"

Our animal companions have an amazing capacity for many things,
including being able to sense hours ahead of time when an earthquake or
flood is coming, and minutes before a tornado ever shows up on radar.

Cats and dogs alike will start howling r o o and engaging in erratic
behavior when they sense an impending event.  They know something is
about to happen because their small bodies are much more sensitive than
ours are to the changes in the earth's magnetic field caused by
geological shifts and changes in the atmosphere due to barometric and
meteorological changes.  When an electrical storm approaches, many
animals can feel the static electricity in the air in their bodies and
this causes them to become fearful and hide.  Some animals seek out a
way to ground themselves during electrical storms, so you might find
them curled up next to plumbing pipes or porcelain toilets or tubs
because this helps them discharge the uncomfortable buildup of static
in their bodies.

Animals can smell smoke before we humans even wake up, alerting us of
fire danger in time to save our lives.  Every year I hear many cases
where animals have saved their entire human120 SONYA TITZPATRICK

families from a blaze.  But as clever as they are, our domesticated
animals cannot provide for themselves.  That is our responsibility.

The very fact that we have domesticated our animal companions means
that we have taken away some of their natural ability to survive on
their own.  They rely on us for everything.  It is unconscionable to
think that someone who purports to be an animal lover could abandon his
or her pet in the face of a crisis, and yet, this sort of thing happens
every day.

It's surprising just how many people do not think of their pets when an
emergency strikes.  It breaks my heart when I read of animals left
behind during an evacuation, or lost because they were separated from
their parents during the panic.  I feel their terror and confusion;

their overwhelming sadness that their human companions have abandoned
them just when they need them the most.  After every natural disaster,
you read of hundreds of homeless animals wandering the streets, hungry,
terrified and desperately searching for their families.  But unless you
have an emergency plan in place, your animal companion may well end up
as one of these tragic statistics.  And if you wait until the moment of
crisis and then try to hurriedly put together an emergency kit, it will
be difficult to think of everything your furry friend might require.

In order to make sure you are ready to evacuate with your pet and
survive comfortably for several days in a shelter, you should make up
an emergency kit to take care of your pets' needs during the crisis.

Do it now, before an emergency strikes.  Pick a quiet, calm time to put
this vital kit together, a time when you are undistracted.  It may save
your pet's life.

Here are some simple tips to make sure your pet is well taken care of
in the event you fall victim to an accident or disaster.  Select a tote
or some other bag large enough to accommodate everything your pet might
need during an emergency, and then THE TET TSYCHIC 121

store this bag with all the supplies your animal requires inside the
carrier you will use to transport your pet from the area of danger.

IDENTIFICATION

The very first thing you must do to prepare for a potential emergency
is to determine a way to reliably identify your pet if the worst
happens and you do become separated.  If you own a dog or cat and they
wear collars or harnesses, make sure their ID tags with their name and
your name and contact information are securely attached.  If you do not
use collars or harnesses, consider the new microscopic ID tags that
most veterinarians are now offering.  The tag is actually a computer
chip with a unique ID number that is read by a scanning device.  The
chip is so tiny that it can be easily embedded right below the surface
of the pet's skin.  After the injection, you register with a monitoring
service, giving them all the information necessary to reliably
establish your relationship with your pet.  Should your pet be lost,
the monitoring service checks its data banks to see if your pet's ID
number has been reported.  In the same fashion, people involved with
pet rescues following a disaster know to scan recovered animals for the
ID chips.  All those pets with chips can be easily identified and
returned quickly to their proper owners.

TRANSPORTATION

If you do receive an order to evacuate, explain to your animal
companion that you will be leaving home for a few days, and tell him
once again that he will be safe with you and that you have provided for
all his needs during the emergency.  Be sensitive to the fact that this
is a time of great uncertainty for your furry friend.  Talk to him
gently to settle his fears and keep him informed about what is
happening.  This simple technique will go

'i a long way to head off any problems that might develop as a result
of the animal's fear of what is happening.

The safest way to carry an animal during an evacuation is in a carrying
case specifically designed for its size and species.  You should have a
carrier for each of your pets.  If you try to take a dog into a boat or
out of a fire on a leash, he may panic and slip his leash and then be
lost.  And those of you who are cat owners know the impossibility of
trying to carry a frightened feline in your arms.  It's better to
contain your animal companion entirely in a safe carrier of sufficient
size to allow him to turn around and lie down.  Carriers are also
desirable because there are a number of shelters that will not allow
animals that are not in carriers.

As part of your pre-crisis preparations, call the local emergency
services providers in your area and inquire about their regulations for
animals.  Some shelters allow animals in carriers;

others do not.  For example, during a recent tropical storm in my area,
none of the local Red Cross shelters would allow evacuated families to
bring their pets into the shelter.  If you find this to be the case,
you must make arrangements with a local kennel or boarding facility
ahead of time and evacuate early enough to have time to drop your pet
off there before going to the emergency shelter.  Ask your kennel if
they will accept a standing reservation for your animals in case of
emergency.  If you wait until a storm or other emergency is upon you,
you may find it impossible to find safe accommodations for your animal
companions.

Never, under any circumstance whatsoever, should you leave your animal
companions alone to fend for themselves in an emergency.  Abandonment
is traumatic for animals in any circustance; when abandonment is
accompanied by a natural disaster such as a fire and flood, the
situation can be terrifying.  Remem-THE TET PSYCHIC 123

her that your furry friends are your responsibility and they depend
upon you to keep them safe and out of harm's way.

Try to keep your pet calm.  Speak to him in a quiet and soothing tone
of voice and hold him firmly but gently as you guide him into the
carrier.  (Please do remember to take out your tote bag of supplies
before putting your pet into the carrier!) If the animal is so upset
that he won't go into the carrier, try an old trick that horse trainers
have used for more than a hundred years to remove panicked horses from
burning buildings.  Take a soft cloth or towel and cover your pet's
eyes.  Continue speaking in a soft voice and explain what is
happening.

Assure your animal friend that you will keep him safe and tell him that
he can help you by going quietly into the carrier.

You may want to bring along a light blanket to keep the carrier
covered, as being cut off from visual stimuli may help your pet to
settle down quietly.

FOOD AND WATER

Keep a week's supply of your pet's favorite dry food in a plastic
container stored inside the carrier.  I say dry instead of wet because
there are no facilities for individual dish washing in most shelters,
and dry makes much less mess.  Do this even if you regularly cook your
pets' meals, because you will find very few emergency shelters will
accommodate people trying to provide home cooking for their pets.

Normally speaking, the sort of food served in crisis situations is not
anything you would want to give your pet.  Better to select a
high-quality dry food and store the container inside the pet's
carrier.

Do remember to change out the food every month or so to keep it
fresh.

You wouldn't want to get to a shelter and find your dry pet food had
gone stale or rancid.

Estimate how much water your pet drinks in the course of a week and
store that amount in the carrier along with the food.  The gallon
containers of bottled water are quite handy.  I know that water is
heavy to carry, but it is often quite difficult to secure drinkable
water in the days immediately following a disaster, particularly in the
case of a flood where the safety of the water supply may have been
compromised by contaminants.

If space permits, you may also bring some of your furry friend's
favorite toys and treats.  Sometimes just a few minutes of playtime
accompanied by the reward of a treat may be enough to settle your
animal down by distracting them from the unfamiliar situation.

TOYS AND OTHER COMFORT ITEMS

If your pet is used to sleeping with you each night, you can be assured
that won't likely be possible in a shelter situation.  It is quite
traumatic for an animal used to sleeping with its humans to suddenly be
forced to sleep alone in its carrier.

You can help ease the situation by providing your animal with a T-shirt
or some other item of clothing you have worn recently.  Put this into
the carrier with your pet and your scent will go a long way toward
comforting him.  In order for this to be effective, it is essential the
item not be washed, as that will remove your scent and replace it with
the chemical smell of washing powder, which most pets find offensive.

It may also be helpful to bring two or three of your pet's favorite
toys.  Pets can get bored just as easily as children do, and a toy or
two may help them to pass the time.  Familiar toys can be a great
comfort in a strange situation.  While it is understandable that a
bored and frightened pet out of his normal environment may exhibit a
few behavioral problems, we, as responsible pet parents, can do a lot
to help them remain calm.

One final reminder: These last items are not things you can THE TET

TSCHIC 125

prepare ahead and put in the kit, so I suggest you put a reminder to
get an article of your clothing and a few toys for your pets on your
final "to-do" checklist that you follow as you are preparing to leave
your house.  That way you will remember to include these important
items in your pet's emergency preparedness kit.

While it is my wish that none of you would ever have to face an
emergency situation, I do hope that you will take the time to make up
an emergency preparedness kit for your pet.  If the unthinkable does
happen, at least you will have what you need to care for your animal
companion close at hand.

Spaying and Neutering

Here is one of the most horrifying statistics I have ever read:

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that five to six
million dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters each year because
there are no homes for them, and no money to feed and keep them
indefinitely in the shelter.  The simple way to turn this number around
it to be a responsible pet parent, which means, ALWAYS spay or neuter
your animal companion before it gets pregnant and has puppies or
kittens.

According to SPAY USA, an un spayed female dog or cat and her un spayed
offspring could produce an astonishing 67,000 babies in a six-year
period.  While that is a theoretical number that does not take into
account how many might be spayed or neutered or how many succumbed to
natural causes, the number still gives an idea of the scope of the
problem.  My advice here is simple: Be part of the solution and not
part of the problem.  Routine spaying and neutering can help reduce the
pet population and also gives animals already waiting in shelters a
better chance to find a loving home.126 SONYA TITZPATRICK

Breeding

On occasion people have told me that they would like their dog or cat
to have a litter of puppies or kittens.  They put their human emotions
into their reasoning, telling me they do not want their animal
companion to miss out on the experience of being a mother.  When I
speak to animals about this, however, they often tell me they do not
want to have a litter of babies.  It can be a frightening experience
for them.  Yes, some animals do look forward to motherhood, but many
don't, so don't automatically assume that having puppies or kittens is
best for your pet.

Declawing, Tail Docking and Other Unortunate Practices

Sometimes people do things to their pets without stopping to think how
it will make the animal feel.  It breaks my heart when I see cats that
have had their claws removed, or dogs with cropped ears and docked
tails.  Before you put your pet through these barbaric procedures, stop
to consider exactly why you are doing it.  Is it for fashion?  For your
convenience?  To save your furniture?  To make your pet match a show
standard?  Are any of these reasons sufficient to force your pet to
endure such pain and suffering?

Please don't forget that any exposure to general anesthesia carries a
risk of death or permanent disability for your pet.  (You can minimize
this by locating a vet who uses a special machine to monitor your pet's
state of consciousness while anesthetized.) To voluntarily put yourself
under the knife for a bit of surgical sprucing up is one thing; to do
it to your helpless pet who depends upon you for its love and care is
quite another.

All animals are beautiful just as they are.  They do not need surgical
"help" to become more attractive or to make their be-THE PET PSYCHIC
havior more compliant.  Surely it is long overdue to question the
outmoded and time-encrusted prejudices behind these barbaric practices
that mutilate animals soley for the pursuit of supposed aesthetic
improvements.  The idea that someone would subject their pet to the
dangers of anesthesia and days of extreme pain and discomfort simply to
match the animal's appearance to some concocted ideal is appalling.

Nor should we resort to surgical alternatives as a substitute for
proper training.  A bit of time and loving attention spent showing your
cat where to scratch in the first few weeks he is in your home will
pave the way for a lifetime of good behavior and rewarding
companionship, as well as completely eliminate any damage associated
with problem scratching.

WHAT Is DECLAWING?

Feline onchyectomy or declawing is the surgical removal of a cat's
claws, along with the nail bed and attached bones and tendons.  The
human equivalent would be to have the first digit of every finger on
your hand amputated.  If you can imagine what it might be like to have
to go through life missing the ends of all your fingers, then perhaps
you can start to understand why I am so opposed to declawing.

Some people think of a claw as the equivalent to a human fingernail but
this is not exactly so.  Unlike human nails that grow from a root bed
just like a hair, a cat's claws actually grow from the bones of the paw
and are attached to tendons that allow the cat to extend and retract
the claw at will.

Declawing surgery is considered so painful that many pharmaceutical
companies use it on laboratory cats to test the effectiveness of their
various painkillers before they send them to market.  And remember that
cats react quite badly to most analgesic compounds, making it difficult
for a veterinary surgeon128 SONYA TITZPATRICK "'ag ;

to provide them any postoperative pain relief for this excruciating
surgery.

Because a cat's body is designed to work with claws, amputating part of
its paws to remove the claws drasticaly affects the animal, both
physically and psychologically.  When their claws are removed, cats
lose their primary line of natural defense and they may become nervous
biters as a result.  Many groomers loath to handle de cawed cats
because of the frequency with which they bite.  In addition, many cats
undergo noticeable personality changes following declawing surgery Some
may become extremely aggressive and unpredictable in their behavior
toward humans; others act traumtized and become timid and fearful.

Neither outcome is desirable.

If declawing surgery is not performed properly, part of the claw may
grow back, but in an unnatural position, such as sticking up from the
top of the foot, which can cause a lifetime of misery and medical
complications for the cat, including ongoing infections and drainage,
not to mention horrendous pain.  The surgery can also have a
detrimental effect on a cat's balance and may lead to atrophy of the
muscles of the shouders, neck and back, as the cat's primary means of
exercising them has been taken away by the removal of the claws.

If you let your declawed cat go outside, it will be at an increased
risk of injury or death as it will not be able to def nd itself in the
way that nature intended.  It cannot cimb a tree to get away from a dog
or other threat, and it cannot use its claw to defend itself against an
attack.

As the outcry against declawing continues to mount, some veterinary
surgeons are employing a supposedly more humane form of the urgery
called tendonotomy, in which the tendon that allows the cat to extend
its claws is severed.  Although the THE PET PSYCHIC 129

claws are still in place, the cat can no longer use them.  Although
tendonotomy is less extreme than amputation of the claws, this
crippling operation does not fit my definition of the word Au[jitjse.

Because the cat can no longer voluntarily remove the outer husks of the
claws by itself with a natural scratching action as nature intended,
owners must be attentive about keeping the claws trimmed.

Unfortunately, those owners who resort to surgery as a substitute for
good training are rarely the type who can spare five minutes for
maintenance of their cat's claws.  Many veterinarians report that
clients who opted for tendonotomy originally frequently come back in a
few months to request the more drastic declawing surgery because they
are tired of keeping up with the claw maintenance routine that
tendonotomy requires.  So these people are putting their cats through
two painful procedures and two anesthesias, all because they will not
spend the little bit of time it takes to train a cat to scratch
properly in the first place!

SCRATCHING Is NATURAL

Scratching is as natural and necessary for cats as breathing.  If you
do not provide a place for your cat to scratch, you can be sure he will
find a spot on his own.  Some of my veterinarian friends have reported
to me that many pet owners threaten to euthanize their cats if the vet
will not perform declawing surgery.  Is your sofa really more important
to you than your cat's welfare?  If your answer is yes, then you should
not have a cat.

Scratching is vital to a cat's continued good health.  When a cat
plants his claws deep into a tree trunk and tugs, the act accomplishes
several tasks.  First, it removes the dull outer husk of the claw,
revealing new, sharp claws.  This is comparable to the human act of
trimming our fingernails.  Second, because each130 SONYA TITZPATRICK
|

claw is attached to a tendon that allows it to extend and retract, the
act of scratching actually exercises and tones those tendons and the
associated muscles in the cat's neck, shoulders and back.

Cats also use scratching to mark their territory.  You ma not be aware
of this fact but cats have special scent glands in the tips of their
paws (as well as on their faces).  When a cat "scratches" a particular
spot, he is marking it with his scent to tell other cats that it is his
own, just as when a cat rubs her face against its human companion it is
telling you, quite affectionately, that you belong to him.

If you plan to get a cat, you must also make plans to provide an
adequate scratching post and invest the bit of time required to train
your cat that this is the proper place to scratch.  I have one doorjamb
in my home which all my cats use.  They know it is their designated
scratching spot and they do not scratch anywhere else.  If you are not
willing to designate a doorjamb, just be sure you do provide some other
suitable scratching surface.

Wood is a cat's preferred scratching surface because it firmly grips
the claws' outer husks and facilitates their removal.  If you make the
mistake of providing your cat with a carpet-covered scratching post,
you will be teaching him that soft materials are preferable for
scratching, and he will choose your upholstered sofa or chair to
sharpen his claws.  However, if you provide something hard, like a
sisal-covered post or trimmed wooden tree trunk, then the cat will
learn to scratch there and will always choose a hard surface.  Proper
training at an early age will spare our furniture.

It is also important to make sure that the scratching post you provide
is stable.  If it tips over every time your cat tries to use it, this
will frighten your cat away and cause him to seek another spot to
scratch.  Make sure the base is wide and the post is sturdy THE TET

PSYCHIC 131

enough to stand up to repeated scratching.  The post must also be tall
enough for your cat.  Something that is suitable for kittens to scratch
on may not work for adult cats.  Check your local pet stores to locate
a suitable post, or better still, find a nice, sturdy bit of tree trunk
and bring that into your home.  Not only will your cats love scratching
on a tree trunk, but it will look nice in your home as well.

While your kitten is learning where to scratch, it may be helpful to
keep a mister of plain water handy.  If you see him scratching on the
furniture or some other taboo spot, spray a mist of water at him while
firmly saying, "No!"  Then pick him up and take him to his scratching
spot.  When you see him scratching appropriately, be sure to lavish
praise and attention on him for his good efforts.  While training,
never hit your pet or raise your voice, because human anger terrifies
animals and makes them quite sad, because they cannot understand it.

Be gentle and patient, and in time, your cat will learn where to
scratch.

DECLAWING SHOULD BE OUTLAWED

The United States is one of the few industrialized nations that permits
surgical declawing of cats.  The procedure is illegal in the following
nations: England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, France, Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, Northern Ireland,
Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, Brazil,
Australia, New Zealand, Yugoslavia, Israel, and Japan.  So why does the
United States, otherwise one of the more advanced nations in the world,
allow such a cruel and barbaric procedure to be routinely performed?

Several groups are pressing for legislation to outlaw this inhumane and
barbaric practice in the United States.  Please write to your local
legislators and see if they would be willing to132

SONYA TiTZPATRICK

sponsor bills at the state level to ban the practice of declawing
Together, we can make a difference, and save millions of animals from
needless suffering.

TAIL DOCKING AND EAR CROPPING "m There are many dog breeds, such as
boxers and schnauzers, where kennel-cub standards for the breed may
call for a docked tail and cropped ears.  I am absolutely opposed to
subjecting any animal to a surgical procedure simply on the basis of
changing its appearance to meet some archaic show standard.  Natural
ears and tails are best; that's the way that nature designed them and
that's the way that we should eave them.

While such procedures are not nearly as painful as declawing, they
still do represent a significant assault on your pet's emotional !  and
physical feelings.  These procedures may lead to a fear of veterinary
visits or even of riding in the car, because your pet associates those
visits with the pain of the surgery.  Other behavioral problems may
also surface, such as nervous biting.  Do you really think it is worth
it to subject your animal companion to such pain, particularly when you
take into consideration the sort of side effects you may be
triggering?

Pease join me in saying no to these types of unnecessary surgical
procedures.  You will be sparing your pet a lot of pain J and suffering
and helping to educate others about the importance J of caring for our
animal companions in a humane and loving | fashion

Vterinary Care H

If you have an animal companion, you must take responsibility for its
health and well-being, which means annual veterinary checkups and
routine vaccinations for rabies and whatever other

\

X...

shots your veterinarian might recommend for your particular locale.

Before you select a veterinary doctor, check with friends whose opinion
you trust to find out which veterinarians they use, and if there are
any they specifically do not recommend.

It is important to establish a good working relationship with your
veterinarian, and to let him or her get to know both you and your pet
during regular office visits.  That way, if a crisis does arise, the
vet will already have an idea of your background, and will be able to
diagnose and treat your pet more accurately.

Your vet will not only keep track of your pet's health, he will also be
your partner in preventive maintenance, prescribing various medications
to prevent heartworm and flea infestations, vaccinations to prevent
serious disease and a nutritious diet to promote ongoing health.  Your
vet will maintain an individual file on each of your pets, with notes
regarding any particular health problems that animal may have
experienced.

If you cannot seem to establish a good working relationship with a
particular vet, don't hesitate to seek out another doctor.  It is
vitally important to your pet's health that you work with a
veterinarian who cares about him and about you.  There are thousands of
wonderful veterinarians out there; keep looking until you find the
right one for you.

SOMETIMES, despite the best care in the world, your pet becomes ill.

With the help of my angel guides, I have been able to heal many
animals.  In the next chapter, I will tell you how this gift was given
to me and share some remarkable stories of animals who have regained
their health after their owners brought them to me for treatment.

iLr "

CHAPTER NINJ

Healing with the Angels

When Your Pet Is 111

When a beloved pet becomes ill or is injured, it can turn your world
upside-down.  Nothin makes a pet owner more desperate than being told
their animal companion is terminay ill or mortally injured, and the
best thing they can do is to put it out of its misery with euthanasia. 
Veterinarians save the lives of thousands of sick and injured animals
every year, but there is only so much they can do.  So, many clients
bring an animal to me for healing after it is injured or diagnosed with
a serious illness, and their veterinarians have told them there is no
hope for recovery.

I did not come to animal healing lightly.  I had to endure much pain
and suffering in my own life to prepare me properly for the role I have
today, and I had to be trained by my angel guides to correctly use the
power they give me to heal the animals that are brought to me.

Of course, I cannot heal all injuries or cure all illness.  Sometimes
an animal is ready to pass over, and we should not interfere\

gaS ia

THE TET TSYCHIC 135

with its decision to go.  This can be very difficult for some people
who are determined to hang on to their pet at all costs.  But often,
they do not stop to consider the cost to the animal in terms of pain
and suffering.

I do always recommend people continue with regular veterinary care even
though most animals tell me they do not like going to the vet.  In that
respect they are like many people who don't like going to the doctor or
dentist, but sometimes it is necessary and for their own good.

Though I can never promise what the outcome will be, healing always
relieves pain.  Sometimes there will be a complete recovery; for other
animals, it is already their time to leave this earth and journey on.

In these cases, there is nothing I can do, since all my healing power
comes from my guides and its effectiveness varies in each individual
case.  But even when an animal passes over, I find I am still able to
help grieving owners accept their loss and help them remember the many
hours of joy their pet brought them during its life on earth.

I never cease to be amazed at the way my angel guides work through
me.

I am constantly being trained by them so that I may serve as an
effective channel for their healing energy, and I have discovered that
each guide has a different method of working.  My main guide, Dr.

David Thompson, was a battlefield surgeon during World War I. He taught
me to work with energy and perform psychic operations.  My second and
newer guide, Harry Edwards, was a famous English healer who died in the
fifties.  He healed both animals and people.  Harry sends healing
energy through me and uses my body to direct healing vibrations to the
animals I am working on.

I want to point out that guides do not work through humans without
first asking for and being granted permission to do so.\

136 SONA TITZPATRICK ,;|

I have given my gi des permission to work through me, but I never allow
my body to be completely taken over because I do not feel comfortable
with that.

My guides have told me they must train to work in this dimension, so
they will know how to heal through me.  Older guides are used to
visiting this dimension to work.  Newer guides have to adjust to the
energy frequencies on earth before they can work efficiently through a
human physical body.  When they first visit, they cannot stay for long
because they tire, and the person they are working through tires
also.

As they adjust to the energy here, they are able to stay for longer
periods of time.

I compare the experience of guides visiting this earth plane to men
landing on the moon.  On the moon, our astronauts were in a different
atmosphere where they floated around and could not breathe without
mechanical assistance, because they were not used to living in that
dimension.  So it is for my guides when

0 0

they come to this dimension.  It is important to remember that they do
not have a physical body like we do.  Their energy pulsates at a higher
frequency than ours, so adjustments are necessary in order for them to
be effective in their work here.

I must guard my energy to make sure I don't overwork myself.  This is
very important when you are doing the work that I do.  I am working
with both my physical and energy body when I heal, and would quickly
become exhausted if I did not rest.

I have a great rapport with my two main healing guides.  They both have
an incredible sense of humor, and we often laugh together.  Yet they
are so different.  One is infinitely patient and kind; the other is
powerful and often has to restrain his strength to keep from shaking
while we are healing.  I am constantly overwhelmed by their love for us
and all the members of the animal kingdom.

As I mentioned earlier, I have endured much pain over the THE ET
TSYCHIC years.  During the course of my life I have had fourteen
surgeries.

After a period of illness, including two major operations, I was told
by my surgeon I would have to live the remainder of my life as a
semi-invalid.  After hearing the news, I was determined that in no way
was that going to happen to me.  I refused to accept the prognosis from
my surgeon, and made up my mind that I was never going to have another
operation again as long as I lived.  I did not at that time realize
that positive thinking could make me well, and that negative thinking
and unhappiness had broken down my immune system and made my body
sick.

Through positive thinking and determination, and by not accepting the
doctor's sentence of life as a semi-invalid, I began my journey as a
healer.  I was determined to heal myself.  I turned in another
direction, away from despair to hope, from resignation to
determination.  Over the next two years, I steadily climbed back to
good health.  I was able to mend my body by seeing myself as constantly
well.  I now look back and feel as if that was another life, but I know
it was an essential part of my training, all meant to prepare me for my
eventual work as a healer and animal communicator.

Because I have experienced pain and self-healing in my own body, I know
what it is like for animals.  I put myself into their bodies and feel
what they feel, so that it is easier for me to determine what is
bothering them.  Wherever they hurt, I hurt.  Wherever they experience
discomfort, I feel the same sensations in the corresponding part of my
body.  With the help of my guides, I am able to determine exactly what
is bothering the animal and whether it can be healed.  I do not have to
guess.

Now I will tell you about some incredible animals and their owners whom
I have been privileged to help within the last three years.X,.

138SONYA TITZPATRCK

Ma9ic "S

Mary Lynn Mombray was one of my first clients.  One day, she rang me
and said her cat, Magic, was ill and would probably have to have
surgery.  She asked to bring him to me for healing, saying the vet had
told her he had heart problems.

She brought the cat to my studio, and I asked Magic for permission to
help him feel better by putting my hands on him.

I always get down to the animal's level to connect with their energy so
they feel comfortable.  Though it takes a few minutes, usually they
settle down in a spot underneath the table, on their owner's knee or on
the sofa.  Then I can work with them.  Cats especially hate being taken
out of their own environment so it takes them a little while longer to
settle down.

First, I speak to them in a very soft voice and tell them how beautiful
they are.  I then ask for permission to stroke them and make them feel
better.  Magic was very laid back and relaxed.  As I touched Magic, I
started to feel the healing energy come through into my hands.  I asked
St.  Francis to help me.  When the energy comes through my hands, I get
a tingling feeling and my hands become very warm and turn a golden
color.  This change is visible to the naked eye, and I have often had
clients comment on the color of my hands as I work to heal their pet.

When I understand what is wrong with the animal, I put my hands on the
part of the animal that is affected.  I then wait for the lights that I
use for healing to come down to me.  I was given a beautiful blue
indigo light to use on Magic.

I put my hands on the cat and could feel the vibrations going through
the cat from the healing and the energy flowing from my guides through
my hands.  As I transmitted the energy, I felt the cat relaxing.  All
the animals I heal know that I am trying to"

fIW91

THE TET PSYCHIC 139

help them.  They sense this on the telepathic level.  I then visualized
the blue light going all through the cat's body, cleansing all the
ipurities and blockages from the heart.

I worked on Magic with my guides for about twenty minutes, using blue,
then gold and finally white lights to heal him.  It may take longer
than twenty minutes with some animals, but that is about the average
length of time the healing energy flows.  I work on an animal until the
energy doesn't come anymore, at which point I realize my guides are
finished.

This is just the first step.  I also like to have a photograph of each
animal I am working with, so at night, when the universe is still, I
can continue to heal them.  Some of my most powerful healing is done at
night, when I am distant (in the geographic sense only) from the
animals my guides and I are actually working upon.  Before I go to
sleep, I look at each photograph and mentally prepare myself for the
night's work.  When I picked up Magic's picture, I knew we were going
to do more healing on the cat that night.

Clients sometimes feel a bit strange about the absent healing I do
during the night.  It's quite simple really.  Normally, I am wakened by
my guides and go to work again.  I use my mind energy and am able to do
healing on the sick or injured animal, even though my physical body is
still asleep.  I also converse telepathically with the animals I am
healing.  I tell them what I am going to do and they are completely
willing and understand.  I then go back to them and give more of a
boost to the healing.  The only difference is that I am not actually
there; I do it through visualization.  And my guides are always working
with me, particularly on the animals that are very sick.

Sometimes absent healing goes on for a week, and sometimes rt is
necessary to get people to bring their animals back in again for
hands-on healing.  My guides tell me what is necessary for each
individual case.  They diagnose and decide on a course of treatment,
much like any veterinarian would.

Magic required only one more absent healing session.  Within a week, he
had completely recovered and Mary Lynn reported they had no further
problems.

Funa

For five years; Mary Denney had visited one veterinarian after another,
trying to find out what was wrong with her cat, Funa.  No one could
determine what ailed the cat, which suffered with constant digestive
disturbances.  He'd been sick for so long Mary couldn't remember when
he'd been well.  He often couldn't keep food in his stomach and vomited
almost everything he was fed.  He was thin and lethargic.  During the
long time he had been i11, no doctor had been able to diagnose the
cat's illness.  Mary was fearful the cat might die soon.

Mary called me in desperation after hearing me speak about animal
communication at a gathering for people interested in metaphysics.  She
told me about her cat and asked if I could help.  This was very soon
after the beginning of my training as a healer and I was not sure what
I could do, but I ag1-eed to try.

I closed my eyes and asked Dr.  Thompson if he could help me with the
cat.  I connected to both of Mary's cats through my energy and
visualized where they slept at night.  I described the scene for Mary
who confirmed what I was seeing was accurate.  One of the cats told me
he loved to have his head rubbed while the other didn't.  Mary
confirmed this was true, also.

I started to concentrate on Funa and immediately began to feel
physically i11 in my body.  The sick cat told me he had been i11 for a
long time and was dying.  He was in a state of panic_

about his illness.  I smelled a chemical smell and knew the cat's
illness had been caused by swallowing something.  The cat sent me a
picture of Mary's laundry room and I knew something had happened to
Funa there.  I felt the cat's illness was due to some sort of chemical
exposure and told Mary so.  I wondered if it was possible the cat had
swallowed some chemical, because I could feel the lining of its
intestines to be very sore and raw, which had resulted in the chronic
digestive disturbances the cat had suffered for so long.

"Has Funa by any chance licked up some bleach?"  I asked Mary.

Mary became excited, telling me that five years before, the cat had
fallen into a washing machine full of bleach, but she hadn't realized
at the time that it had swallowed any of the deadly and caustic
poison.

I realized the bleach had caused extensive damage to the cat's stomach
and intestinal lining and that damage was what had made him chronically
ill for the past five years.

I then called on my guides to help me heal the cat.  Dr.  Thompson came
forward to assist me and instructed and guided me in the healing
operation.  I visualized a laser beam cutting the cat open and lights
were given to me to work with.  As each light was handed to me, I was
told what to do.  After the cat was opened up, I could actually see how
ulcerated its stomach was, and I knew how desperately sick the animal
truly was.  I saw a beautiful golden light and knew it was meant to
help me heal the cat.  I visualized the light healing and repairing the
cat's stomach lining.  I pushed energy through the cat's intestines
with the golden light, pushing out all the sickness.

After the gold, I was given a beautiful blue light, and told to
visualize this going all through the intestines, soothing and healing
the damage.  I used the laser beam to suture the cat closed, and bathed
his entire body with another beautiful light, violetI42

blue this time, and left the cat in that light to protect him as he
continued to heal.  Mary reported that the cat had fallen into a deep
sleep during the course of the operation.  I myself felt exhausted as
the work of healing the cat drained all my energy,

That night, my guides wakened me at three A.M. and I knew my work with
Funa was not finished.  I felt my energy body joining with the
universal energy stream on the astral plane.  I visualized my astral
hands and my mind energy healing the body of the sick cat while it
slept.  I was very aware of my guides working with me.

Mary reported the cat was visibly recovered the next day, with a much
improved appetite.  For the next two weeks, my guides and I continued
to do healing on Funa every night.  Mary reported that the cat had made
a complete recovery.  It was gaining weight and had a normal appetite
once again.

%,

Mr.  Clinlzer

I had become a regular guest on the Scott Cluthe radio show in
Houston.

Each time I was on, the phone bank lit up with calls from pet owners
eager to recover a lost pet, or to solve some behavioral or health
problem.  I soon found I was quickly able to connect with the animals
in question through the owner's energy.  I often talked to the animals
live on the air, telling the owners things only they would know about
their animals, such as having an operation or illness, or the fact that
this was not the animal's first home or that their previous owner was
cruel to them.  The astounded owners always confirmed as accurate
whatever I relayed to them from their pets, though they couldn't begin
to understand how I knew what I knew.

A man named Irwin called one day very distressed about his cat, Mr.

Clinker, who had been diagnosed with terminal feline leukemia.  Mr.

Clinker had a large tumor on his jaw.  The vet said the tumor could be
removed, but because of its size and location, the lower jaw would be
lost.  Irwin declined the disfiguring surgery, unwilling to put his
beloved pet through so much suffering.  In his own words, he instituted
a "death watch."

Daily, the tumor grew in size, causing Mr.  Clinker terrible pain.  He
snored and experienced bouts of apnea that meant he had trouble
breathing.  His appetite faded to nothing.  One day, quite by chance,
Irwin tuned in to the Scott Cluthe show and caught the very end of the
program.  He called immediately, and I spoke to him after the broadcast
ended.  Despite Houston's vastness, Irwin happened to live within
walking distance of my home, which was fortunate as he could not drive
due to poor vision.  I went to see Mr.  Clinker at Irwin's home.

When I arrived, I was astounded to see a garden full of art, including
a lovely bronze figure.  Irwin turned out to be the proverbial starving
artist, a man who had very little money, but a heart full of love and
compassion for animals.  He had taken in eight cats whom he fed and
doted upon.

I was alarmed when I saw the size of the large tumor on Mr.  Clinker's
jaw.  When I connected with the cat, I realized he was still a bit
wild.  Because he was so very sick, Irwin had put him into his own room
where the other cats could not disturb him.  I felt Mr.  Clinker's
energy and waited for the cat to accept my presence.  It took him a
little while, and I realized the cat was prone to hiss and spit.  I
asked the cat if I could help him and told him I would be very honored
if he allowed me to do so.  Mr.  Clinker thought about it for a while,
then replied that he would allow me to help.  Again, I felt the
wonderful warm energy coming into my hands and knew healing power was
already being transmitted.

I put my hands on Mr.  Clinker and he offered no resistance.

I felt in my own throat how very sore the cat's throat was.  I felt the
blood disorder, which Irwin had identified as leukemia.  I could see a
beautiful green light coming down and knew this was the one I would use
to heal the cat.  I took the green light from the eyes down through the
neck and the rest of Mr.  Clinker's body, and while drawing it through
I could feel the vibrations within the cat's body and knew healing was
taking place.  I imagined the impurities all being taken from his blood
and his blood being healthy and well and fit.  I talked to him and told
him he too must imagine this, seeing himself whole and healthy and
well.

I then started healing the cat's throat and his jaw.  I was again given
a beautiful healing light, this time royal blue, which I visualized on
his throat.  At the same time, healing energy was being passed through
my hands.

Mr.  Clinker was feeling very relaxed.  The healing continued for some
twenty minutes, then I felt the energy withdraw from my hands and knew
the healing had been completed for that session.  I thanked Mr.

Clinker and told Irwin I would be doing more healing at night.  Mr.

Clinker also required several more hands-on healing sessions.  I asked
Irwin to keep me informed of the cat's progress.

Irwin was delighted with the results as Mr.  Clinker seemed to be
recovering well after three days.  Then he took Mr.  Clinker to his
regular vet the next week, and other than a little ulceration secondary
to a minor throat inflammation, there was absolutely no indication of
the large tumor that just the week before had threatened to end the
cat's life.  Mr.  Clinker was fully and completely cured.

Mr.  Clinker lived another eleven months after my guides healed him,
free of pain and without obvious signs of illness.  When Irwin took the
cat to the vet, the tumor was no longer THE PET PSYCHIC 145

visible on Mr.  Clinker's jaw.  He had a healthy appetite and renewed
vigor for life.  Then one night he passed to the other side in his
sleep, having reached the ripe old cat age of seventeen years.

Jean Lafi'tte

My friend Pat's son Carter had been greatly disappointed to discover he
couldn't fit his new "pirate turtle" out with a brass earring and
peg-leg, but nonetheless, Jean Lafitte had turned out to be a most
satisfactory pet.  Pat's family had owned the turtle for almost two
years, and in that time, his shell had grown from less than two inches
to more than six inches across.

During the first cold snap of 1993, Jean Lafitte quit eating.  This was
puzzling because he'd always had quite an appetite.  Pat phoned the vet
and he told her that when turtles get cold, they often go off their
food.  He advised her to move the aquarium away from the window where
it might be drafty to a more secluded spot inside the house.  She moved
it to her dining room, which has no exterior windows.

But the move didn't help.  Jean Lafitte still wouldn't eat.  Within a
few days, he started to drift aimlessly in his tank, spewing mucus from
both nostrils.  Pat's son was terribly upset and she felt panicked,
wondering what to do to restore the turtle to good health.  It had now
been seven days since it had eaten anything.

That morning, I'd made arrangements to meet Pat, but she was distracted
and worried about the turtle, and she couldn't concentrate.

I immediately picked up on Pat's distress and asked her what was
wrong.

She told me, and I offered to speak to the turtle and find out what was
wrong, an offer which astounded her.  Pat had no idea what I was
talking about.  Though we had been friends for more than a year, I had
never mentioned my ability to communicate with animals to her.

Briefly, I described my telepathic gift.  Though Pat was quite
skeptical, she felt so desperate she would have tried anything to save
the turtle.

I asked Pat for the turtle's name.  When she told me, "Jean Lafitte," I
couldn't help but reply, "That's quite a posh name for a turtle."

"He's quite a posh turtle," Pat responded, still not sure of the value
of this experiment.

I closed my eyes and within moments, I was able to tell Pat that the
turtle was quite unhappy about its tank being moved from its accustomed
spot in her son's bedroom window.  He wanted it moved back
immediately.

Pat was amazed because she had only just moved the tank a few days
before and hadn't mentioned it to me.

The turtle told me he was dying.  He told me he was very sad because he
loved Pat's family and did not want to leave them.  Then he started to
give me a laundry list of the things that were wrong in his habitat,
all things that had contributed, along with the cold weather, to his
illness.

Speaking in a small, tinny voice, he told me he had outgrown his
aquarium tank, and that it didn't have any stones on the bottom where
he could get proper traction to walk and dive.  He sent me a picture of
his feet slipping on the bottom of the tank.  He also informed me his
water needed to be much deeper so he could swim, and filtrated to stay
fresher and cleaner.

"As long as I was a small turtle, this tank was fine, but now I am too
big for it and have no room to swim and the water gets dirty too
quickly," the turtle told me.  Finally, Jean Lafitte asked for a
larger

THE PET PSYCHIC 147

rock for basking and diving, a green plant and a small fish for a
companion.

Pat quickly drove to the nearest pet store to rescue the turtle, though
she was still feeling quite unconvinced of the wisdom of what she was
doing.  I have quite a sense of humor, and I think Pat wondered if she
hadn't become the unwitting victim of an elaborate prank.  To encourage
her as she left, I emphasized again that speed was necessary as the
turtle was near death.

While Pat was in the store, she made the mistake of telling the pet
store owner she was buying the goldfish for her turtle.  He looked at
her like she was crazy and told her, "Lady, you can't put a goldfish
into a tank wit ha turtle.  He'll eat it."

"Oh, no," Pat assured him.

"My turtle told me he just wants the fish for a friend."

"Your turtle told you what?"  the man said, looking at Pat even more
strangely.

Pat turned her head as if she hadn't heard him and hurried out of the
store with her $79.53 worth of turtle goods, thinking it was all an act
of futility, that it was too late and the turtle was going to die
anyway, and she'd be stuck with an elaborate turtle habitat and no
bread or milk for her children for the rest of the week.

Pat set up the new aquarium in her son's bedroom window and moved the
turtle into his new home.  For the next three days, she hovered over
Jean Lafitte, watching closely for some sign of improvement.  There was
none, but at least he didn't get any sicker; he was still alive.

On the fourth day, the turtle ate two sticks of turtle food and Pat
noticed his nose was no longer running.  She and her children
celebrated this obvious turn for the better and called to inform me of
the food news.a

Jean Lafitte continued to improve.  By the seventh day, he was ,
swan-diving off his new basking rock and marching around his tank like
some lord of the deep, fully recovered.  Pat called and thanked me
profusely, still not quite sure what she was thanking ,; me for, but
knowing that somehow, I was at least partly responsible for saving the
turtle's life.  She didn't understand it, but to her credit, she
accepted it.  That was Pat's introduction to the world of animal
communication.

Unfortunately, the goldfish had become a bit more relaxed too, losing
that look of sheer terror he'd assumed when he first realized he was
confined in a ten-gallon tank with a turtle.  One evening when Pat came
home, she went to greet Jean Lafitte and noticed there was no goldfish
in the tank.  She looked everywhere, but there simply weren't that many
places for a goldfish to hide in the tank.  In a panic, she called me
and I immediately connected to Jean Lafitte, asking him where the
goldfish was.

"I've eaten him," he replied.

"I knew I would never get the fish if I'd told you I was going to eat
him."

I chastised him for misrepresenting the real reason he wanted the
fish.

To this day, I haven't forgiven myself for my role in the hapless
goldfish's death.  He really deceived me, that turtle.  I didn't
realize he was so crafty.  He told me he wanted a friend, when all he
wanted was a filet!

For her part, Pat thinks that perhaps there were some nutrients,
minerals or vitamins in that fish that Jean Lafitte needed to complete
his recovery.  At any rate, she hasn't given him any more fish to munch
upon, and he continues to be a very, happy healthy turtle.  As often
happens with animals I help, John Lafitte has turned into a regular
gossip and now keeps me informed of all the goings-on in Pat's house,
especially noticing when she fails to wash up the dishes.  Pat just
wishes he would quit telling me when she hasn't done the laundry.

THE

PET PSYCHIC 149

Beau

My friend Donna brought her dog, Beau, to me for healing.  She had
taken him to the veterinarian because he was limping, but the doctor
said Beau's problems were the result of his advanced age and he could
do nothing to help him.  When I connected to Beau's energy, I picked up
all five of Donna's pets.  A cat named Spankie came forward and
informed me that Beau suffered terribly with the pain in his feet and
legs, but tried to hide his pain because he didn't want to worry his
family.

I inquired after the dog's health, and Donna said she believed
everything was alright, but she worried because Beau had real
difficulty getting going in the morning sometimes.

Spankie was clamoring to be heard again.

"Beau's feet do hurt him.  He does not want Mommy to know, but I am the
biggest kitty and when I speak, no one talks back to me.  Beau has
taken care of all of us for a long time, so now I am going to take care
of Beau by telling his secret."

I told Donna what the cat had said, that the dog suffered with his feet
but kept his pain hidden because he didn't want to worry her.  With
Donna's permission, I started healing the dog, who quickly regained his
former boisterous and active nature.  The quietness and inactivity
Donna had put down to the onset of maturity was actually due to the
pain from Beau's congenital foot problem.  Once my guides relieved the
doe's pain, he became his old self again.

There is an interesting "foot" note to this story.  Donna brought Beau
in several more times for healing, along with his brother Cody who had
an ear problem.  I noticed both dogs had skin rashes, which Donna said
their vet had not been able to clear up.  I asked my guides for help
and they told me that both dogs were allergic to the wheat in their
food.  I advised Donna to switch to a diet of rice and fish for her
dogs and the skin rash disappeared from both dogs within a matter of
weeks.

Beau has since died of old age, but it gave Donna great comfort to see
the relief from pain my guides were able to give him, making his last
few months comfortable and productive.

;' Heidi

Over the Christmas holidays of 1995, my dear friend Valerie Patrick
called me in a panic about her beautiful German shepherd, Heidi.  She'd
been having some health problems and the veterinarian who examined her
found she had a tumor on the right side of her back.  The doctor wanted
to do a biopsy, but Val didn't consent to the procedure because the
previous summer Heidi had suffered two mild heart attacks following
anesthesia for a constriction in her throat.  The anesthesia was too
strong and it weakened Heidi's heart.

Heidi managed for a while, but it was obvious she didn't have her usual
strength and vigor.  Finally, Val called me in distress at two A.IVt.

one morning.  Heidi had suffered a third heart attack, much more
serious this time.  I went and laid my hands on Heidi, and sent healing
energy coursing through her body.  She recovered, but she was still
very weak, so I continued to work on her.

Val had some friends come through from Canada.  They immediately
noticed the gI-owth on Heidi's back, which by then was about the size
of a walnut and quite prominent, with hairs sticking out all around
it.

Val said everyone who came to visit noticed it.  Val knew she was going
to have to do something about the tumor, but she hated to take Heidi in
for another operation because of what had happened the last time.

I started directing healing energy through the tumor, visualizing it
shrinking in size and being absorbed harmlessly into THE PET PSYCHIC
l$1

Heidi's body.  I worked on her with absent healing every night for
several weeks.  Six weeks later, Val looked for the tumor, but it was
gone.  Val called Ruby, her maid, and asked her which side Heidi's
tumor was on.  Ruby looked at Heidi and said, "It's gone!"  There was
no trace of the tumor to be found.

A week later, Heidi was scheduled for her regular dental checkup.  The
vet looked for the tumor to check it and found it wasn't there.  He
asked Val which vet had performed the surgery to remove the growth, all
while madly looking for the scar and stitches.  Val didn't know if he
was a believer but decided to tell him she had the surgery done
psychically.  Predictably, the vet thought she was crazy.

"Are you sure you didn't go to another doctor to have it removed?"  the
vet asked her.

Val is very spiritual and we've been friends for twenty-one years, but
she says she sometimes still can't believe it herself that healing
energy from my guides restored Heidi to good health without veterinary
intervention.

Normally, as I have stated earlier, I recommend working with
veterinarians and continuing regular veterinary care as well as using
healing energy.  But in this case, Heidi had shown a marked sensitivity
to anesthesia, and I knew a surgical procedure would do her more harm
than good, and perhaps even kill her.  I am thankful I was able to use
the healing energy of my guides to heal my friend's dog.

Bravo

A family called me in great distress.  Their beloved cat Bravo was ill,
but they did not specify the illness for me.  They were very skeptical
of my ability to help their cat, but consulted me, as many clients do,
out of desperation.

When they arrived, I placed my hands on the cat and knew he was full of
worms, but oddly, not worms common to cats.  Bravo's owners confirmed
he had worms.  They had just come from the vet, who was not able to do
anything for the cat because the case was too far advanced.

I asked Bravo if he had eaten anything unusual, and he sent me a
picture of a dead possum, so I knew the source of the worm
infestation.

I also knew the cat was very i11.  The worms had formed a sort of ball,
which was causing a life-threatening intestinal blockage.

Working with my guides, we removed the worms and cured Bravo
completely.  His owners were thrilled to have their cat restored to
good health.

People often ask me when I say I remove something, if I actually see
what is being removed.  Usually I don't, because the tumor or damaged
area is being cleansed with healing lights provided to me by my
guides.

The healing energy is directed through my hands, which feel tingly and
warm while this is happening.  At times, the energy flow put through to
heal an animal will be so strong it causes my hands to vibrate.

So when I say I remove worms, I don't actually see them.  I know only
that my guides have removed worms that have been diagnosed by a
veterinarian, and when the cat is taken back for a checkup, the worms
are no longer there.  The one exception I can remember is the
intestinal blockage I discovered in Zuki, the iguana (from chapter
6).

Crystal

One of my favorite stories of healing concerns a cat brought to me by
my client Beverly, who rescues cats.  At any given time' THE PET

PSYCHIC

I$3

Beverly has fifty or more cats in her care and I often help her by
collecting food, towels, and blankets from my clients.

This cat, which Beverly called Crystal, had no fur whatsoever, and its
entire body was covered with open, weeping sores.  The vet diagnosed
her with a virus, which he says she caught from her mother.  He
recommended putting the animal to sleep to put it out of its misery.

When I connected to the cat, I realized she was in extreme pain.  I
asked, as I always do, for her permission to begin healing, and the cat
agreed, requesting only that I not touch her because she was in so much
pain.  I reassured Crystal I would not put my hands on her.  Her wounds
looked so dreadful I would have been afraid to do so for fear of
causing her even more pain.

I started to heal the cat through its aura, sending healing light
through by holding my hands about two inches away from her body.  I
healed Crystal with absent healing every night for a week, and then
Beverly returned with the cat to my studio.  At first, I thought the
cat hadn't made much progress, then I felt a surge of strength go
through my body and realized she had gI-own stronger.  I was
encouraged.  It was given to me to tell Beverly to start putting
antiseptic ointment on the sores and feed the cat a diet of plain
boiled rice and fish.

When Beverly returned the following week, it was obvious Crystal was
feeling much better.  The sores were healing and there were tufts of
fur starting to grow in patches.  I saw Crystal once more, then
continued absent healing for several weeks.  Now Crystal is completely
healthy.  Her sores are all healed and she has a full coat of beautiful
beige fur and is ready to be placed in an adoptive home.

A lost pet is just as upsetting for pet owners as having a sick pet.

In some ways, it is even more distressing, because you are never quite
sure what has happened to your pet if you can't find it.  In the next
chapter, I will share some stories of lost pets, and give pointers for
the best course to follow if your pet should stray.; .w

CHAPTER '1EN

Where, Oh Where Has My Little Do Gone?

Lost bets

/ When a pet is lost, it can be devastating to a family.  The " / /'
frantic neighborhood search, the posters tacked to light poles, the
walking and calling your pet's name in vain, can fray even the
steadiest nerves.

The first thing I do when a pet is missing is calm the owners and get
them to give me as much information as possible about the lost pet.

While they are talking, they usually focus and settle down sufficiently
for me to connect to their lost pet through their energy.

Happily, in the majority of cases I pick up the animal right away.  The
ones who are truly lost are always confused and frightened, and eager
to find their way back home.  On the other hand, the ones who have left
home by choice will not even consider going back, particularly cats,
which are far less tolerant of ill treatment from their humans than
dogs are.  At the very least, I can gather enough information from the
lost animal for its owners to launch a targeted search.  In some cases,
we will be lucky and find the animal, but sadly, I cannot find all lost
animals.

can only do so much.  The owner is the one who has to go out and put up
posters in the target area and find the landmarks I give them from
pictures the animals send me.

The joy I feel when I succeed in recovering an animal is incredible
because I know the odds are against the animal ever being found.

Prayer, good luck, and the ability of the missing animal to communicate
with pictures and feelings are my strongest allies in the search.  Some
animals communicate more clearly than others, and that is always a big
help.

We've all read stories of incredible journeys undertaken by lost pets
trying to find their families.  Some such journeys can cover hundreds
of miles.  We even hear of animals tracking their families across
country.

A very famous case more than twenty years ago involved a family that
moved from New York to California, leaving their year-old
black-and-white cat in the care of a neighboring family until they
could get settled in their new home and send for him.  The cat had a
very unusual marking on his stomach, which appeared to be a perfect
outline of the continental LInited States.  LIn fortunately he ran away
within a few days after the move, and the neighbors called their
friends in California to tell them of the disappearance.

Thirteen months later, across more than three thousand miles of ruled
terrain, through all kinds of weather and dangers, a scraggly
black-and-white cat with what appeared to be a map of the Llnited
States on its stomach showed up at the family's back door in
California, meowing to be let in.  This heroic feat catapulted the
feline to brief fame, with his picture appearing in newspapers all over
the country.

But how did this remarkable cat find his family?  How did he know where
to go when he had never even seen their new home or have any idea
exactly where they were moving?  The answer THE PET PSYCHIC I$7

is that he tracked their energy.  The bond between the cat and his
family was so strong he was literally able to use their energy as a
lifeline during the long months he was separated from them.

People always want to know: How do lost animals find their way home?

Why is it that some succeed in their quest and others do not?

There's quite a bit of science involved in the answers to these
questions, which I will try to explain clearly so that you may
understand how the homing instinct works in animals.

You already know we are all surrounded by energy.  Energy in its purest
form is the life force of the universe.  It flows around us and through
us.  In fact, our bodies are energy arranged in solid form.  In the
popular science-fiction film Star Wars, this energy was called "the
force," and I must say George Lucas's concept of how energy fields work
is not far off the mark.

You also know that animals communicate telepathically, using their mind
energy to transmit pictures, thoughts and feelings back and forth.  We
do this also, though unknowingly, and it is this constant stream of
mind energy we put out back and forth through the electromagnetic
fields of the earth that our pets use to track their way back to us.

Even though your animal is lost, he can still pick up the thoughts and
feelings transmitting out through your energy.  The energy link is not
broken even though the physical link may well be.

Like humans, animals have varying degrees of intelligence and
sensitivity.  Some humans can cook or draw or play the piano, while
many others can't do any of these things.  So it is with animals.  Some
can tune in quite easily to their owners' thoughts and feelings; others
are not as adept.

Sometimes an animal's willingness to communicate depends upon the
motivation of the moment.  If your pet has left home because he is
angry or jealous of a new arrival, he may not be nearly as eager to
reunite with you as you are with him.  Other animals are overcome by
fear and decide it is safer to stay in their new location than risk the
dangers of an attempted journey home, while others are confident enough
to trust all their senses and tune in to the energy fields where they
will be able to pick up the mind energy you are constantly
transmitting.

Remember, you already have an energy link with your pet because you
have lived together and established a pattern of communication.  That
energy link is just like a radio wave.  You can tune your energy in to
that of your pet like you were tuning in a radio station.  Each time
you think of your pet, he is on the receiving end of the thought,
almost as if you were calling him on the telephone.  The only
difference is that you are probably not attuned to the energy line like
your pet is, so you don't "hear" him when he communicates with you.

If an animal is trying to reunite with its family, it will
instinctively tune in to vibrations in the universal energy fields.

Some animals have a heightened awareness of their senses that functions
like a built-in compass, and they can feel the pull of a particular
direction when they tune in to your energy.  Other animals do not have
this ability, and when I tune in to them, I can feel their confusion
and fear.  A fearful, confused animal is much more difficult to recover
than a brave and confident one, because the fearful animal will not
take the steps it must take to find its way home.  The truth is, only a
small percentage of lost animals ever find their way home.

Many times, particularly in the case of valuable animals, a pet hasn't
been lost; it's been stolen, and you can be sure those responsible for
the theft will do everything in their power to make sure they aren't
discovered.  I have the best chance of finding an animal that has truly
been lost, who can provide me good information in the form of images
and feelings about their jour-THE PET PSYCHIC I$9

they from home, which I can then reconstruct to send the owners on a
targeted search for their pet.  Some will remember more clearly the
route they have taken while others will be confused.  If they are
confused, that confusion is all they can send me, so it becomes very
difficult for me to get any information about their location.

If I am lucky, the animal will be able to send me a picture of a very
distinctive landmark.  I had a client whose cat, Jaspar, was able to
send me an image of a church with a dark green roof that he said was
nearby.  Though the church was more than ten miles away, the owner was
able to retrieve his cat because the location and identity of that
particular building were unmistakable.

Sometimes, when a cat has been chasing a bird or a dog has been chasing
a squirrel, they are so preoccupied that they lose track of their
surroundings.  When they realize they are in unfamiliar territory, they
become disoriented and panicky.  These cases are difficult to resolve
also, because during the chase, the animal was paying no attention to
his route, only to his prey, so they cannot give me many landmarks or
clues to their location.

Workmen visiting your home present another danger.  They often leave
their trucks open while they are working, and cats cannot seem to
resist investigating an open door.  I had a client whose cat hitched a
ride in a carpet-cleaning truck.  When the workers opened the back of
their truck at their office in the next town, fourteen miles from the
woman's home, a cat jumped out.  The workmen thought nothing of it
until the woman called the next day to ask if they had seen her cat.

Though she put up posters near their office, she got no response and
presumed her cat was lost forever.  Then, eight weeks later he showed
up at her door, a bit thin but in perfect health.

The same is true when a pet has been frightened by another animal.  A
cat who has been chased for several blocks by a large dog is not only
confused but terrified, and in mortal fear for its life.  In these
cases, when I connect to their energy I tell them to stay right where
they are, calm themselves and gather their energy.  Then I tell them to
wait until the universe is still and dark (night), when I will waken
and tune in to their energy.  I reassure them and tell them to trust
their instincts.  I reinforce the idea that they are a very smart dog
or cat, who can easily find their way home under the cover of
darkness.

I tune in to them with my ears, so they receive the idea that they must
use their ears to check for any noise before they cross a street.  If
there is noise (a car approaching) I tell them they must be very still
and wait for it to be quiet again before crossing.  I send the message
telepathically with my mind, but also with my body, so the animal knows
what he must do to travel safely.

Sometimes they find the courage to start their journey home.  It may
take a few days or even a few weeks, but usually I can get some of
these animals home.  A lot depends on the animal's personality, whether
he is brave and not overanxious.  If the journey home seems too
daunting, they will often stay in their new location and find
themselves loving homes.

Many animals become lost because their owner assumes they will be safe
no matter what.  You should never let your dog or cat roam freely; not
only might they get lost, they could also be hit by a car, stolen, or
attacked by another animal.  It is your responsibility as a pet owner
to see to the safety and security of your animal.  If your dog has
proven himself capable of jumping over a high fence or dicing under to
escape your yard, you must make whatever changes are necessary to
provide him a secure place.  Try to send him pictures of the dangers
that await in the world outside his fence.  If dogs and cats only knew
how dangerous the world can be, most of them would never leave their"

THE PET PSYCHIC 16I

doors.  But like children, animals are filled with a sense of adventure
that all too often is not accompanied by sufficient caution.

Dogs need walking every day.  They need to get out and exercise
regularly.  Don't feel that just because you have a big yard that is
sufficient.  Animals are curious about their world, and need to see and
understand the world around them.  Walking also orients them to their
neighborhood so that it becomes familiar and not as frightening to
them.

Be especially vigilant about your pet's safety when you go on
vacation.

If you choose to leave your animal behind, I recommend you hire a
knowledgeable pet sitter rather than rely on your neighbors to care for
your pet.  A few years ago, hardly anyone had heard of a pet sitter,
but now they are becoming more popular as people are beginning to
realize that being left in a kennel can be a very unhappy experience
for an animal.  Not only must they endure the stress of all the other
cooped-up, frightened, and lonely animals barking and yowling, they may
also be exposed to contagious diseases or pick up fleas in such an
atmosphere.

Animals that have been put in a kennel have no idea why they are
there.

They don't know if it is a punishment, or if they are to be left there
indefinitely.  It's like us going to prison.  Suddenly, they go from a
comfortable bed and large yard, to sleeping on damp concrete and
confined to a cage that barely has enough room for them to turn around
in.  I have treated many behavior problems in animals that cropped up
after the pet was left in a kennel for a week or so.

So, take the time to locate and interview a reliable pet sitter.  Ask
for references, just as you would if you were leaving your children
with someone new.  Tell the sitter about your pet's routine, and stress
the importance of maintaining that routine.  Be sure and explain to
your animal that you will be leaving for just a little while, but that
someone very nice will come and look after them while you are gone.  It
is a great comfort to animals when their owners take the time to tell
them what is going to happen.  That way, they do not get so nervous and
confused.

9VLoW NG is a very dangerous time for cat owners, as cats have a
tendency to form an energy link with their physical location (e.g. your
old house).  Domestic felines can use that energy link with something
scientists call "psi tracking," to find their way back to their
original home, even if it is thousands of miles away.  Though
scientists have a name for this ability, they don't understand how it
works or why cats are equipped with this particular skill.

Remember to confine your cat to one room of your new home for at least
a week after you move.  The week of confinement allows cats time to
form an energy link with their new location, so that when you let them
out into the rest of the house, they will be content to stay and not
try to roam or run back to their old house.

Z have many clients who ask me why all the stray cats in the world
arrive on their doorstep.  It isn't by accident.  It's because they are
cat lovers and cats looking for a new home will track positive energy
vibrations to a house where they know a cat lover is in residence.

Like a radio wave is picked up by a receiver tuned to the proper
channel, cats tune in to the energy vibrations of a cat lover to locate
your house, knowing full well they will be welcomed, however
reluctantly.  They also know, from reading THE PET PSYCHIC I(3

your energy vibrations, that if they stick around lone enough they will
be regularly fed and well-cared for.

Technology has brought us a new way to track and recover lost or stolen
pets.  It is a tiny microchip, first developed to provide irrefutable
proof of identity for expensive horses and exotic birds, but it wasn't
long before the veterinary community caught on to the usefulness of the
idea for their own clientele.  The microchip is programmed with a
unique identifying code and then injected into your pet with a special
hypodermic needle.  The newer and more expensive devices can actually
be used to track an animal on a geographic map, just like something you
would see in a spy movie.  The older ones simply provide proof of
identity for a recovered animal.

The problem is that there is currently no standard for
identification.

Your local animal shelter may subscribe to one of these programs, but
not another.  Still, if you allow your pet to roam freely, it might be
a good idea to invest in one of these tracking devices.  ut remember,
no device can do the job you as a pet owner must do, which is to
provide your animal with a loving, safe, and secure environment, so be
vigilant in the care of your pet.

Humane workers believe strongly in county registration programs in
which an ordinance requires you to register your pet for a nominal
onetime fee.  You are then given a tag to put on your pet's collar.  If
your pet happens to get lost, the information on the tag will give
humane workers all they need to reunite your pet with your family.  In
counties where these registration programs are in force, there is a
much higher rate of .  animals being returned to their owners.

* * *'

Novc I will share some stories of lost pets and their owners, and how
we recovered them and reunited them with their fam_ flies.

Sugar

Carol Moore has a beloved Maltese named Sugar.  One day, someone
accidentally left the garden gate ajar and Sugar got out.  Carol was
frantic with worry because she lives close to a major thoroughfare and
was afraid Sugar might get hit by a car.

Carol had heard about me through a friend, so she phoned immediately to
tell me of Sugar's disappearance.  While I was looking at a picture of
Sugar, the dog began to communicate with me, relating details of
Carol's life that only Sugar, but certainly not I, could know.  Carol
was overwhelmed with an incredible feeling of relief, knowing that her
dog was well and communicating with me.

Sugar told me her journey began after she left Carol's yard.  I was
able to pick up Carol's house and garden in great detail.  I saw the
gate ajar and also told Carol I saw a freeway opposite the house to the
right.  Then Sugar started to tell me about her journey

First, she went across the road, being careful to avoid the cars.  She
told me a woman in a cream-colored car then picked her up and put her
into her car.  Next, she complained because her "mommy," as she
referred to Carol, always had a nice, soft towel folded on the car seat
for her to rest upon, and there was no towel in this woman's car.  She
transmitted to my body a feeling of unsteadiness, particularly in my
arms and legs, and I knew she'd had difficulty staying on the car seat
because the woman's upholstery was slippery.  When I told Carol about
the THE PET PSYCHIC 16$

towel, she became very excited because she did keep a towel on the car
seat for Sugar.

Sugar said they had passed a church on the way, and transmitted a
picture of the church to me.  She also sent a picture of a supermarket
on the left side of the road.  Then she transmitted a feeling with her
body of the car turning to the left shortly after the supermarket.

Somewhere after the left turn, Sugar sensed the car turning right, and
then it pulled into a garage and stopped.  She sent this information to
me telepathically.

I did not feel any hunger or thirst in Sugar's body, so I knew the
people who had picked her up were feeding and watering her.  Sugar then
told me she was inside a house and flashed me a picture of the home's
interior, a cream room with a fireplace.  It comforted Carol a lot to
know her beloved dog was being looked after, and that she was safe.

A man in the house kept saying to the lady who had picked up Sugar,
"Let's take the dog back.  We have her name on her collar and her
owner's address.  Let's take her back."  But his wife and children
wanted to keep her because she was so pretty.  Sugar kept sending me
images of the home's interior.  Sugar was afraid she might not see
Carol again, because the man kept repeating, "Give the dog back," and
the woman kept answering, "No."

I told Carol the only way to get Sugar back was to start praying that
the family who had the dog would open their hearts and give her back.

I told Carol to put up posters with Sugar's picture and an offer of a
reward in the area near the family's house, so Carol re-created Sugar's
journey in her car and found the church and the supermarket, just as
her pet had described.

Carol had posters made and put them up as I suggested.  Late in the
afternoon of that same day, Carol received a phone call from a little
girl who said they had bought a dog from someone, and this dog had an
ID tag.  The girl asked if Carol owned a white dog named Sugar, but
before Carol could answer, the phone went dead.

Carol was hysterical and thought, "How could they do that to me?"  But
as I had suggested, she calmed herself, focused and prayed for her
dog's speedy return.  I had also told her to have all her friends pray
for Sugar's return.  Prayer is very powerful, particularly when your
pet is lost.  The more friends you have praying for your pet's return,
the better.

Twenty minutes after the phone call, Carol's doorbell rang and there
stood a little girl with Sugar.  Carol was overjoyed as she took her
dog into her arms.  She looked outside to see the girl's father who was
in a cream-colored car as Sugar had mentioned.  Carol was amazed when
she saw the car just as I described it, and vowed to be more careful
about making sure that the gate was securely fastened before she let
Sugar into the garden unattended.

Madonna

One day I had an unusual phone call from a woman by the name of Salise
Shuttlesworth, requesting my help in finding a family of pigs.  A
former attorney who had given up her practice to devote herself to the
care of orphaned and abandoned animals, Salise is executive director of
a no-kill animal shelter in Houston called "Special Pals."  The family
of pigs had been stolen from this shelter.  Although the theft had been
on television and in the newspapers, and Salise had issued numerous
appeals for the return of her beloved animals, no one responded.  My
daughter, Emma, set up an appointment with Salise, who came in right
away armed with pictures of her pigs.  THE "PET PSYCHIC 167

When I attempted to establish a telepathic connection with the animals,
I was particularly drawn to the energy of the mother pig, Madonna.  I
couldn't establish a clear link with the piglets, but this did not
surprise me.  Just as it takes a while for human infants to learn how
to talk, infant animals must learn how to communicate telepathically.

As I tuned in to Madonna's energy, I felt a great sadness.  I asked her
why she was unhappy and she told me one of her babies had died at birth
because she had accidentally stepped on it.  It made her very sad.  She
was frightened for her babies and was concerned for their welfare, and
for herself and the piglets' father, Dick.

I told Salise to first inform the slaughterhouses about the pigs but
she had already done this.  She was amazed when I told her about the
baby pig that had died at birth.  She knew I was truly in touch with
her pets.

I asked Madonna what she could tell me about the night she and her
family had been taken.  She sent me a picture of two men who had come
in a truck.  She transmitted the color black, so I knew it was the
middle of the night and not the early morning when the pigs were
stolen.  I got the feeling Madonna knew one of the men who had taken
them.  Then she told me one of the two had once worked for Salise.

When I told Salise this and gave her the description of the man Madonna
had given me, Salise knew exactly who it was.  She'd had to dismiss the
man a week before, and knew it was likely he was going to hold a grudge
and try to get back at Salise by hurting her beloved animals.  It is
sad when human vindictiveness hurts animals.

I was very impressed with Madonna's intelligence.  Her pictures were
clear and her telepathic communication was detailed.  She left nothing
out.  She told me there were two other adult pigs taken, which Salise
confirmed.  Madonna said the two pigs had squealed loudly and had been
very difficult for the men to catch.  The truck was backed up to the
pen.  After the men ushered the squealing pigs into the truck, Madonna
said the door had closed.  She could see nothing, but sent me with her
body telepathically that they had turned to the right after going down
the drive, and then to the left I felt the swing in my body when the
truck was going around the turns.  Then they went left again.  Then
Madonna felt she was on a much busier road because she heard traffic.

I asked Madonna if she had gone a short way or a long way.  She felt it
was a long way along a busy road with many other cars.  I felt they
must have gone on a highway because that's the only place there would
have been traffic at that time.  By indicating with her body movement,
Madonna told me they then took another left turn.  She communicated
with me through feelings and her body senses.  I asked her if she could
send me any pictures of where she was, but she was shut up in the dark,
so there were no landmarks to guide our search.

I got an unpleasant feeling in my mouth, and knew Madonna didn't like
the food she was being given.  She told me they had given her some
bread and that was all, so I knew she was hungry.  Madonna was very
concerned about what was going to happen to her and her babies.

At the time, I asked Salise not to release any of these details Madonna
had given me to the press, because I was worried there would be a
backlash against the sanctuary.  People can sometimes be funny about
the work I do.  Salise had already paid a dear price with the loss of
her pigs, and I didn't want anything more to happen to her or to the
sanctuary.

Though I could not offer much hope for the recovery of her pigs, I
explained to her that whatever happened, these peoplerHE "PET PSYCHIC
would not get away with the theft.  The law of the universe says that
what you give out you get back, so the men who caused Salise's
heartache would have heartaches of their own to deal with one day.

Though I worked very closely with my guides, trying to find the pigs
was almost an impossible task.  I did not know how long the van had
traveled or where it had gone on the freeway.  Madonna had not been
able to look out from the truck or see any landmarks.  I felt very
saddened.  They was only a slight chance of getting the pigs back.

The good thing was that the press was covering the pig napping closely,
so every few days there would be an update.  The people who had stolen
the pigs didn't think for a minute that the press would pick up this
story.  They were going to have difficulty getting rid of their
captives.

During the course of the next week, I continued to pick up the pigs'
energy.  I also asked my guides to bring in some information on the
physical level about the pigs' location, which they did.  But we were
no closer to finding Salise's pigs than we had been at the beginning.

We all continued to pray, and many of my friends and clients were
praying too.

Two weeks later Salise had a desperate call from a lady who had bought
a baby pig from a pet shop.  The woman said the pig was so small she
didn't know how to feed it.  She was afraid the piglet was dying.

Salise told her to bring the pig to Special Pals, not knowing whether
it was one of her pigs or not.

Salise and I stayed in contact over the phone.  After I connected to
the baby pig, I knew it was one of hers, but could not get any
information on the rest of the family.  Salise named the little pig
Wilbur.  She nursed him back to health, and he quickly became the
darling of Special Pals.  Even the other animals seemed to acknowledge
that Wilbur was special.

Wilbur ,

Wilbur goes to the animal sanctuary each day, and at night, he stays
with Mary Schweiger, a member of the Special Pals Board of Directors.

He's wiggled his way into all our hearts and I see him regularly.  He
is a very superior pig; in fact, he doesn't believe he is a pig at
all.

Salise laughs whenever I say this, but I believe Wilbur was a nobleman
in a former life, because he conducts himself with such dignity and
strength of purpose.

Wilbur's greatest friend is a beautiful German shepherd named George
who has appointed himself Wilbur's guardian.  George sleeps on the bed
with Wilbur at Mary's house every night.  When they arrive at the
sanctuary in the morning with Mary, George stands in front of Wilbur
and protects him from the other dogs at the shelter, particularly new
dogs who may not yet be aware of Wilbur's importance.

This happy state of affairs continued for a while.  Whenever I went to
visit Wilbur, the first thing I felt was a cold, wet nose pushing
against my leg.  When I sat down, he would jump right up my back and
start nuzzling me with his strong nose as he squealed with joy.

Then one morning Salise called and left a frantic message on my
answering machine saying Wilbur had been stolen again.  She was
absolutely devastated.  I continued to let the answering machine play
my messages as I tried to think of what to do.  Before I could even
formulate a plan of action, a new message from Salise informed me that
Wilbur had been found.  She was deliriously happy.

I phoned Salise straightaway and she proceeded to tell me about
Wilbur's latest adventure, and what an adventure it was!  Mary had
gotten up early that morning to take two dogs to the vet for minor
surgical procedures.  Normally, she fed all the THE "PET PSYCHIC WI

animals together, but since the dogs would be undergoing anesthesia,
they couldn't be fed.  Though Wilbur was ravenous, she gave him only a
dish of plain oats that she knew the dogs would ignore, to avoid
problems of jealousy or hurt feelings.  She planned to supplement the
pig's oat snack with a full meal while the dogs were in surgery.

Naturally, Wilbur accompanied Mary and the two dogs to the vet.  Though
Wilbur didn't need veterinary attention, he liked to be included in all
the outings.  Mary loaded the three animals in the back of her pickup
and started her journey.  She arrived at the vet and went in with the
two dogs, Wilbur following close on her heels.  Mary told Wilbur to
wait in the waiting room and not to move as she took the dogs for their
treatment.

By this time, Wilbur was well past his accustomed breakfast time and
his stomach was rumb ley So, being Wilbur and a very noble and
self-determined pig (not to mention hungry), he opened the door of the
clinic while the receptionist was otherwise occupied and went on his
way.

Twenty minutes later Mary came out and found the waiting room empty
..

no Wilbur.  The receptionist had no idea where he might have gone.

Since Mary is a professional animal rescuer, she knew the first thing
to do was call Animal Control and alert them to the fact that Wilbur
was on the loose.

As it happened, Animal Control had just received an urgent call from a
nearby country club saying they had a most unusual guest.  A gentleman
playing golf had been amazed at the speed with which Wilbur went
sailing across the course to the clubhouse, following his strong sense
of smell to the enticing aroma wafting from the buffet line in the main
dining room.  The hung1'y pig, after being treated to the best food any
pig has ever been fed, decided he also wanted eggs for breakfast and
where better to get them than a posh country club?  His arrival in the
dining room caused quite a stir, but to Wilbur it was perfectly normal
as he was always in the dining room at Mary's house when her family
ate, and in fact, often ate with them.  He was used to having the best
of everything.

Without waiting to be seated, Wilbur cut ahead of most of the guests in
line and helped himself to the es and buttered toast in the buffet.  He
was quite a sight, standing on his hind legs in the buffet line, his
snout pushed down into the breakfast entrees.  Though the wait staff
didn't quite know how to handle Wilbur, they were more amused than
alarmed by his sudden appearance.

Soon though, the gig was up.  Mary arrived looking a bit stern, ready
to take Wilbur back to Special Pals.  But the normally outgoing pig
wouldn't look her in the eye.  He knew he shouldn't have gone off like
he did especially since he'd been stolen once before.  He didn't mean
to worry her, but he'd been hungl-y, and it wasn't every day a noble
pig got a chance to dine with the finest members of Houston society.

Mary picked Wilbur up, but he hadn't finished his breakfast so he
wasn't amenable to the idea of leaving yet.  He squealed in protest.

The dining staff indicated it was all right for Mary to put Wilbur
down.  The damage had already been done and what was another four eggs
or so?  Plus the gllests seemed to be amused at the idea of a pig
dining in their midst.

Mary put Wilbur down and he finished up the eggs.  From then on, Mary
learned not to delay Wilbur's mealtimes by even a few minutes, for fear
that he would find a way to feed himself.

Sadly, since this adventure, Mary passed away in a tragic accident.

Though I miss her terribly and the wonderful work she did for Special
Pals, I know she is working even harder to help animals now that she
has passed over.  Wilbur and George es-THE "PET PSYCHIC 173

especially miss her company, but Salise has given them a loving home at
Special Pals.

Foxy

One early winter morning in 1995, I noticed a little black animal
outside, lying down and scratching itself.  At first, I thought it was
Wellington, my cat, then realized he had too much common sense to be
out in the cold and rain when he had a nice warm house to stay in.  So
I went downstairs and saw that it was a little black dog no bigger than
my Wellington, in fact even a bit smaller than my well-fed feline.

I noticed the dog seemed frightened and cold, and was obviously
hungry.

She was very nervous as I approached, and ready to bolt, so I turned
back toward my house, all the while sending the communication that
everything was all right.  I told her telepathically that she was not
to worry or be scared, but should follow me back to my house where she
would get a dish of food and a treat.  As I got to my back door, I
turned my head slightly and could see the little dog was following me,
but very slowly because she was shivering so much that she had trouble
walking.

I help many abandoned or lost dogs to find new homes, so I brought this
one into my house as a matter of course.  I gave her food and water
right outside the back door, but every time I approached her, she
backed off.  She obviously did not want to come into a strange house.

I walked away to give her time to get used to her new surroundings.

Finally, I went back into the lounge and got down flat on my stomach on
the floor so that I would appear to be on the same level with the dog,
closer to her own size and therefore, less intimidating.  This is a
trick that works to calm most frightened animals.

She wanted to come into the house, but she was scared.  She would walk
up to the door, then back away.  I decided to go upstairs and get a
blanket to make a nest for the dog so she would at least have a warm
and dry place to get into.  I left th back door open a bit so the small
dog could get inside.  She w" still dripping wet.  I hoped she would
climb into the bed I'd mad for her and rest.

I came downstairs about a hour later and sure enough, there she was,
all curled up in the bed resting.  But when she heard me coming she
looked at me and went to move outside again.  I talked to her gently,
reassuring her that she was safe.  I lay down on my stomach again,
stretched out my hand toward her and started transmitting to her that
everything was fine; she could come in and she would be warm and safe
with us.  I assured her she wasn't going to be hurt, but she already
seemed to know that.

The little dog scampered into the house with all the enthusiasm of the
puppy that she was.  She started running all around and shaking herself
off, then she came up to me and let me pet her.  I went to get a towel
to dry the little dog off.  I kept the door to the upstairs closed
because of Bella and Wellington.  I didn't want my other pets to
frighten the little dog or to be frightened of her.  I picked her up
and toweled her until she was dry.

By this time the dog was beginning to feel a little bit more at home,
so I let her come upstairs to meet Bella, Fitz, Emma, and Wellington.

I named the dog Foxy because she looked just like a black fox.  Though
I was a bit worried about jealousy at first, my beloved Rhodesian
Ridgeback, Bella, loved the little dog and was happy to have her with
us.  Fitz and Emma just rolled their eyes, but have been as taken as I
with Foxy.  Fitz now affectionately calls her "the little monster."  My
cat, Wellington' THE PET PSYCHIC I7$

was of course, unmoved, believing the existing balance of one cat and
one dog was the correct one.  But he too has since been turned around
by our charming black pup.

Foxy wanted to play with everyone, but the older animals were not
amused.  Bella was more curious than anything else.  Wellington was
most disgusted and asked me, "What's this thing coming in here?"

I tried to find Foxy's owner by advertising in the paper, but no one
came forward.  I looked everywhere to see if anyone had put any posters
out, but had no luck.  So I decided to find a new home for Foxy.

LIn fortunately the pup wasn't house-trained.  Before I could find a
new home for her, I had to get Foxy trained.

I knew the small dog had been traumatized because I could not get her
to communicate.  Animals that have been badly treated sometimes do not
speak for two to three weeks after arriving in a new home.  I wanted to
find out more about Foxy, so I decided to work through Bella, because
the little dog had begun to make herself at home and become friends
with Bella.

I heard of a lady who had lost her dog, but she was traveling and
wouldn't be back for another few days.  I had another homeless dog due
to arrive that evening so I didn't have much time to make arrangements
for Foxy.  Lois, one of the animal foster parents I work with
regularly, said she would be happy to foster Foxy for a few days to
make room in my house for the other little stray dog that had been
found wandering alongside a road with no tag.

The day came when Foxy would have to go.  Though she had spent the week
destroying my house, chewing up everything and making messes
everywhere, she had already managed to worm her way into the hearts of
everyone in my home.

I could see that Bella was sad to learn Foxy was going.  She had found
a little friend she really liked and now that friend was leaving.  I
explained we had to do this so we could help another little lost dog. I
put Foxy in the car and drove her to Lois's office.  Lois was expected
shortly, and the secretary said I could leave Foxy with her until Lois
arrived.  I had another appointment so I had no choice but to leave her
with the secretary.  I felt relieved because the girl was a great dog
lover and immediately put Foxy on her knee and cuddled her while she
answered the telephone.  I felt quite comfortable that Foxy was in good
hands.

The day passed very quickly as I was busy with animals and clients.

When I saw that it was almost three, I decided to call Lois to see how
our little orphan was.  To my horror, Lois told me Foxy had gotten out
of the office when some clients came in.  By the time I got there, the
entire office was looking for Foxy.  She'd been sighted but every time
anyone got close, she would run away.  It was getting cold and dark,
and I was feeling frantic.  I felt so bad about Foxy being lost again
so soon after I had found her.

Charlotte, Lois's secretary, was driving around praying to find Foxy.

Finally, she spotted the little dog about two miles away from the
office, running across a very busy road.  Charlotte said Foxy just
darted across through the traffic.  I think she must have borrowed a
few of Wellington's nine lives that day.  Charlotte tried to call Foxy
but she wouldn't come because she was too afraid.  I quickly went with
Lois and we followed Charlotte to the last spot where Foxy had been
seen and started to call her name.  I was worried because Foxy had had
her new name for only a week, and still didn't respond reliably to a
summons.  I called and called, feeling quite distraught.  I couldn't
bear the thought of Foxy being lost once and then within a week being
lost again.  She was such a little soul, frightened and bewildered.

Sometimes it is difficult to trust my instincts when I am emotionally
involved in a case.  I was very emotionally involved with THE PET

PSYCHIC 177

Foxy, and knew I had to relax if I was going to help her.  We'd been
looking for almost five hours, but I decided to give it another half
hour.  By this time, it was nearly dark and getting bitterly cold.  I
walked deeper into the woods by the side of the road and shouted Foxy's
name at the top of my lungs, but to no avail.  I was really
panicking.

I prayed for Foxy to please hear my voice.  As I walked back to Lois
and Charlotte who were also calling Foxy, I happened to look behind me
and there, running at about a hundred miles an hour, was this little
black ball of fur.  She jumped straight up into my arms and I was
overjoyed.  I found myself sitting on the ground sobbing with joy.

Foxy was licking me all over and for the first time she communicated.

I heard her say, "I knew you would come for me!"  That's what really
broke my heart.  I explained that I'd had to leave her and she
understood.  I told her I would take her home and keep her a bit longer
until I could find her a new home.  I reasoned that maybe it was for
the best because Foxy was still not completely house-trained.  When I
called Fitz and asked to bring her back, he was so upset he said, "You
must bring her back immediately."  I think he had already fallen in
love with her.

When I brought her home that evening, Foxy had quite a reception from
Bella and even old Wellington, but nothing like what Foxy got from
Fitz.  We told ourselves it was only temporary, that we' dgive her a
lot more love just until we could find her a permanent home.  But even
then, I think I knew we could never give her up for adoption again.

When I took her to the vet to get her shots the next day, he said she
was only six to seven months old, and a fine specimen of a breed I was
not familiar with, a Schipperke, or Dutch Captain's Boat Dog.  The vet
said he knew somebody who would love to have Foxy for breeding
purposes, and he assured us the family would provide a very good home
for the dog.  Fitz and I looked at each other and said almost together,
"No, she's not ready to go yet!"  (I'm sure we'll still be saying that
in ten years time.) That evening Bella told me that Foxy had had a very
sad life.

Foxy still couldn't communicate well because she was so confused and
upset, but Bella was able to make out more of what she was saying than
I could.  Bella then transmitted to me what Foxy had told her.  Bella
told me that Foxy's mummy (meaning her human mom) threw her into the
street, and she had walked her feet raw looking for a new home.  She'd
been kept in a cage in the backyard by her unfeeling first owners, who
never talked to her, which made her very sad.  Foxy missed her dog
mummy very much, because she was so young when she was taken away from
her.

While Bella was still alive, there was just enough room in our
four-poster bed for all of us, since Bella was rather large and took up
a lot of space.  I got used to sleeping with Bella on one side and Foxy
on the other.  In quite a determined fashion, she had stolen all our
hearts.

Foxy brought joy into all our lives, but especially to Bella, who
enjoyed having a canine companion in the last months of her life

KIWI "

My friend Helen Stroud called to tell me that one of her cats, Kiwi,
was missing.  Kiwi was so named because Helen's youngest child had
trouble pronouncing "Kitty."  It came out "Kiwi" instead.

I first met Helen when she called me to do some healing on Kiwi.  The
cat had had a rather dramatic start in life.  Shortly after Helen and
her family found the abandoned kitten, our area suffered a devastating
flood.  Helen's family and pets survived the THE PET PSYCHIC W9

trauma of rising water together, but after the flood, Kiwi had fallen
ill.

Kiwi's illness was due as much to stress and trauma as anything else.

After I sent her some healing energy, she bounced right back and had
been fine ever since.  Now she was lost, and Helen, like most people
whose pets have gone missing, was frantic.  She had searched the
neighborhood with no luck, and her children were absolutely
devastated.

I connected to Kiwi's energy and got the feeling the cat wasn't too far
away, perhaps right in Helen's yard.  But she wasn't lost at all; she
was hiding out by choice.  I asked Kiwi for a description of her
location and she sent me a picture of flat gray rocks stacked up, with
soil behind them.  She said the steps to the house were nearby though
she couldn't tell me whether it was the front or back of the house as
animals make no such distinctions.  She also sent me a picture of a
very large, dense shrub, and I sensed that this was where she was
hiding, under the shrub in Helen's garden.  I relayed this information
to Helen and she told me she had a rock border around a garden near her
front door.  She went and looked for Kiwi there, and called and called,
but caught no glimpse of her pet.  Still, I knew this was where the cat
was hiding out, so I told Helen to put out food and water for her
pet.

I suggested that if Helen would give her a day or two, Kiwi would
probably calm down and come home on her own.  But even as I said it, I
could feel Kiwi clamoring to communicate, so I asked why she was camped
out in the garden, hiding from her loving family.  When I asked the cat
what was wrong, she poured out a tale of jealousy and intrigue.

Kiwi told me there was another cat in the household, Annabel, who was
the favorite of Helen's husband, Dan.  Because1 of this lofty position,
Annabel lorded it over the other cats in the house and was quite mean
to Kiwi.  When I connected to Annabel, she told me she thought Kiwi's
skittishness was foolish, and made fun of the nervous cat whenever the
opportunity presented itself.  And she was always rubbing Kiwi's nose
in the fact that the master preferred her over Kiwi.

Just that morning, Annabel had hissed and spit at Kiwi, and tried to
slash her across the nose.  When Dan heard the commotion, he scolded
Kiwi, but not Annabel, which had sorely wounded Kiwi's feelings.  On
top of all this, Helen's house was full of commotion because she and
Dan were preparing for a holiday party that evening.  Kiwi overheard
Dan asking that all the pets be put out before the guests arrived.  The
beautiful gray cat had had enough.  She decided to put herself out,
permanently.  She was determined to see her plan through, but she was
also very scared.

As Kiwi and I communicated, Helen's other cats came through.  As Kiwi
had mentioned, Annabel was imperious, and very proud of her position as
the master's favorite.  Surprisingly though, Annabel was not the only
cat in Helen's household who was exasperated with Kiwi.

"She's too nervous," they all chorused.

"She won't come down when guests are here and is always hiding in the
cupboard, which is silly, because Helen and her children are very kind
to us."

I discovered all the cats had been in the flood together.  They had
willingly tolerated Kiwi's skittishness for a few months after the
catastrophe, but now they were out of patience with her.

This was going to be a complex case.  Just as we get along better with
some people than others, so do animals form intricate social
communities based on a spirit of mutual cooperation.  If one dog or cat
or bird or hamster or horse doesn't fit in, then THE PET PSYCHIC IH1

that animal will be shunned by the others.  This apparently was what
had happened to Kiwi.  No wonder she wanted to leave.  Two days after
Kiwi's disappearance, Helen went shopping.

As she turned into her driveway, she thought she caught a glimpse of
Kiwi as she bounded across the lawn into the front garden.  But by the
time Helen parked her car and ran back, there was no trace of the
cat.

I connected to Kiwi again and she told me the other cats in the house
had told her to stop being silly and come back inside.

"But I am too scared," Kiwi told me.

"There are a lot of wheels going by and noise, and I don't want to move
from this safe place."

Now that Helen knew Kiwi was in the front garden, she had taken to
leaving her front door open during the day, hoping the frightened cat
would see it and dash inside.  She had the door propped open with a
large can of peas.  Kiwi sent me a picture of the door with the canned
peas next to it, but she still had no intention of leaving her
sanctuary.

Helen had me tell Kiwi that she would leave open the door of a stone
potting shed that connected to the house in the rear.  I told Kiwi if
she waited until it was dark, she could sneak around the house, go
through the shed and right up the back stairway.  But Kiwi was
beginning to enjoy her new home.  She could watch the birds and small
animals, and didn't have to endure the taunts of her fellow felines.

Kiwi loved Helen and her children very much, but would not go back
inside the house because of the situation with the other cats.  Helen
left food outdoors for a number of months without ever seeing Kiwi, and
provided a warm shelter.  At first the other cats felt odd about Kiwi
being out in the garden, but eventually everyone got used to the
situation.

I must say, in the years I have been helping to recover lost animals, I
have never had a story with such an unusual conclusion.  Kiwi moved
outdoors in December of 1994, and lived there several months.  Then one
day when I tried to connect to her energy, it wasn't there anymore, and
I knew she had passed over.  Helen was very sad when I told her the
news, but knows that Kiwi has gone to a much better place.

Ios'r lost pet stories do not have happy conclusions.  It is best to do
everything in your power to prevent your pet from becoming lost in the
first place.  You must be vigilant about his safety and make sure he
has a secure place to stay, especially if he is spending long hours
unsupervised outdoors.  Make sure your animal is wearing proper ID tags
with its name and your phone number displayed.  If your dog or cat has
a tendency to lose collars, secure the ID tags to a body harness.

Otherwise, whoever finds your dog or cat has no way of knowing who the
animal belongs to.  They will either adopt your pet themselves, or take
it to an animal shelter, where it stands a very good chance of being
killed.  Either way, you won't see your pet again.

If your pet is lost, remember to contact the Humane Society or animal
shelter in your area immediately.  Most shelters recommend visiting
every three days.  I say go EVERY day.  You could lose your pet
otherwise, as animal shelters in this country are chronically
overcrowded and deal with this problem by killing most of the animals
brought to them, healthy or not.

Put up posters with your pet's picture in the area where they
disappeared.  Remember that lost animals tend to stay on the move
because they are looking for their home.  Dogs can cover ten to fifteen
miles a day in their search, and cats hitch rides in service vehicles,
so don't confine your search to the few blocks THE PET PSYCHIC

around your home, but work outward as the days go by, to keep up with
your pet's possible progress.  I have recovered animals as far as fifty
miles away from their original location.

Perhaps nowhere is the old cliche, "An ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure," more true than in pet ownership.  If you are a diligent
and responsible pet owner, you reduce the chance that you will ever
have to deal with the heartbreak of a lost pet.

ONE of the most fascinating things about pets is their diverse
personalities.  It has been no surprise to me as I become more and more
involved in animal communication, to discover our pets find us just as
fascinating as we find them.  You may think no one is around, but your
pet is watching you.  I share some funny human stories I've been told
by animals in the next chapter.  CHAPTER "ELEVEN

What the Butler Saw

Your Pet Is Watching You

(The idea that pets are acute observers of human behavior is
disconcerting to some people.  But animals have no malice in them, and
the stories they tell on their owners, no matter how embarrassing, are
relayed in all innocence.

Think of how you delight in watching your pet, how you enjoy
entertaining your friends with stories of his exploits.  Does it not
make sense that animals would enjoy the same thing, swapping stories of
their owners back and forth?

You'll recall from the first chapter of this book that as a child in
Hartwell, England, I was privy to every secret in our village, courtesy
of my inquisitive animal friends.  Trying to determine the source of my
intelligence regularly confounded my parents.  The truth that I told
them, that my animal friends had given me all the gossip, was a truth
they simply could not comprehend.

Animals in a neighborhood often trade stories about what is going on
with their owners' families, and how their owners treat them.  My
client Nancy saw her dog take a piece of chicken she had just been
given and carry it in her mouth to the dog next THE PET PSYCHIC IS

door, who was neglected by its owners and often went unfed.  I know the
poor hungl-y dog had telepathically sent a message to Nancy's dog,
saying it hadn't been fed and was hungry, and could she spare a bit of
that nice chicken it was smelling?  Nancy's dog was generous and
kindhearted, and so well taken care of by Nancy that it didn't mind
sharing.  But remember that animals have different personalities just
as we humans do.  Another dog may not have been so willing to share.

Both domesticated and wild animals communicate with each other and are
likely to exchange information and warnings.  For example, when my
friend Pat showed herself sympathetic to wild life, she experienced a
positive invasion of furry creatures in her large and heavily wooded
backyard.  Pat and I know it was because the animals had telepathically
transmitted a message throughout the wood saying she was a kind and
friendly human.  Actually, many of the animals were probably already in
residence, but didn't feel emboldened to show themselves until they
were certain it was safe.

I'm sure many of you have seen homes where cats seem to congregate.

You can be sure when you see such a house that the cats have been
telling each other there was a feline-loving human in residence at that
address.  I've been told that sick raccoons present themselves
regularly at the animal shelter here in Montgomery County.  It is
because they know that is where they can get help and volunteers at the
animal shelter are constantly putting out the pictures and feelings of
helping animals.  Animals in the area surrounding the shelter receive
these pictures telepathically.  They feel the positive energy coming
from the shelter, so they use their senses as a sort of built-in
compass to find help.

Though wild animals certainly watch us with the same interest that our
pets do, the funniest stories I've been told about humans come to me
from domesticated pets.  Since these stories are potentially
embarrassing, I've left out the names of the humans involved, and
changed the names and identifying characteristics of the pets.  So if
you think you recognize yourself here, it's just coincidental.

Dabney and Eliza

A couple came to consult me because their two Golden Retrievers, Dabney
and Eliza, were getting out of the bedroom each night and wrecking the
house.  Just that morning they had awakened to discover the corner of
the coffee table chewed, cushions torn from the sofa, and a vase of
flowers knocked over and broken.  They asked me to find out why their
dogs wouldn't stay in the bedroom with them at night as they were
instructed to do, and why they were so destructive.

The answer to the destruction was easy.  When animals are bored and
unsupervised, they often go on rampages that result in severe damage to
clothing, furniture, and knickknacks.  They don't see it as naughty; to
them it is simply play.

When I connected to the two dogs, I found them quite affable.  I asked
why they wouldn't stay in the bedroom.  Before they could reply, I
began to experience quite an unpleasant sensation in my nose.  Although
the dogs knew their owners were upset with their disobedience, they
transmitted with pictures and feelings the clear message that they
simply could not stay in that bedroom.  I wondered if their desire to
escape was related to the sudden sensitivity in my nose.

Nonetheless, I was quite stern with the dogs.

"You know you must stay in the bedroom," I told them.

"But we can't!"  came the plaintive answer.

I knew there was more to it than they were telling me.  After quite a
bit of prodding, I discovered their human father had aTHE PEr PSYCHIC

IH7

chronic case of nocturnal intestinal gas and the dogs' noses were quite
sensitive to this.  Things were fine for the first thirty minutes or so
after the humans lay down in the bed.  The dogs behaved nicely and
everyone fell asleep.  But once the nightly flatulence started, they
felt compelled to escape the room quickly, an escape made possible by
Dabney's clever turning of the L-shaped handle on the bedroom door.

Not wishing to cause my clients embarrassment, I simply told them that
the dogs had requested their own bedroom, which they had not, and asked
if they had another room the dogs could sleep in.  Since the couple's
children were grown and they lived in a large house, the request was
simple to fulfill.  I suggested they fill the selected room with toys
and chewies to keep their playful pets occupied and out of trouble.  I
also hinted that they might find it wise to change the style of the
door handle in that room, to keep Dabney from effecting an escape.

Once the retrievers were moved into their own room full of interesting
toys, and not subjected every night to the noxious smells produced by
their father, the owners informed me that the midnight rampages stopped
and all was peaceful once more in their home.

Still, I can't help but wonder how the man's wife slept through all
that.  Perhaps she was blessed with a poor sense of smell, or maybe she
slept with a nose plug.

Teddy and Matilda

One day, I was consulted by a lady who told me that she and her husband
were distraught because their two seven-year-old purebred cats were
suddenly having accidents all over the house: on the sofa, on the rug,
even on the bed.  The problem was particularly puzzling because the
cats had always been perfectly behaved.  The husband was so angry about
their ruined carpet and furniture that he told his wife she must
correct the problem immediately or get rid of the cats.  There would be
no compromise.  (It will perhaps give you some insight into this man's
character that he decided his wife alone had to solve their joint
problem, and that insight may help explain his wife's behavior later in
this story.)

He seemed to be the sort of man who loved his wife and cats well, as
long as they did just as he wanted them do.  But any deviation from his
program was excuse enough to get rid of the cats.  Perhaps his wife
felt her position was tenuous as well.  As you shall soon see, the
problem really was more the wife's than the husband's.

The couple lived in a Southern colonial mansion in one of the most
elegant areas of Houston.  Their home was filled with priceless
antiques and artifacts, prized possessions the cats were eliminating,
one by one.  The lady begged for my help.  She loved her cats and did
not want them to be put away for the sake of a piece of furniture.

When I connected to her two cats, they immediately assured me that they
loved their "mummy and daddy" (as animals often refer to their owners),
but really didn't like that new man mummy had started bringing home in
the afternoon.

I realized immediately the lady had taken a lover.  Just that quickly,
I'd discovered the answer to the puzzle, the obvious source of the
cats' upset.

I decided to get a bit more information from the cats, and invited them
to continue their story.  They went on to complain that their "mummy"
had the nerve to pitch them out of their bedroom, the one they had
always shared with their owners, and then she closed the door, shutting
them out.  Feeling neglected and somewhat put out by this lack of
regard for their rights' THE PHT PSYCHIC 1H9

they responded in the time-honored tradition of scorned pets
everywhere: They started making messes all over the house.  They
deliberately picked the most open and obvious spots to deposit their
"accidents," which were no accident at all, to let their owners know
how displeased they were with the recent turn of events.

The lady must have noticed my amused look and realized something was
wrong.  I told her what the cats had just relayed to me, and then it
was her turn to be surprised.

"I can't believe they knew I had taken a lover," she said.

"They know everything," I told her.

"But what shall I tell my husband?"  she asked.

I informed her I didn't give that sort of advice; all I could do was
tell her how to deal with her cats.  But I did suggest that perhaps it
would be wiser to meet her lover elsewhere, to avoid upsetting the
cats.  I felt that alone would restore tranquillity to the domestic
life of her cats.  How to restore tranquillity to the domestic life of
the woman was another matter entirely.

The woman left my studio in something of a state, and I knew I would
never see her again.  But I am sure she never thought when she brought
her lover home it would affect her cats so dramatically, or that they
would soon be telling her deepest secret to me.

Buster

A client came to my office very concerned because her eight year-old
Border collie's coat was falling out.  There hadn't been a change in
Buster's diet; he didn't have fleas or a skin inflammation.  Her vet
had thoroughly examined the dog and could find nothing wrong.

When I tuned in to Buster, I discovered a very cheerful dog19O SONYA

ITZPATRICK

who told me he knew his mummy was coming to see me, and had been
waiting for me to speak to him.  Buster even told me why his mummy was
consulting me; she was worried about his coat.  Then he told me his
hair was falling out just like his daddy's.  This gave me my first clue
to the problem.

I asked the lady if her husband was experiencing hair loss.  She
answered immediately that he was absolutely obsessive about his
receding hairline.

"He stands in front of the mirror and stares at his hair for fifteen
minutes every morning," she told me, "then asks me if I think any more
has fallen out overnight.  He's very worried about it.

I asked her if Buster ever went into the dressing room with his daddy
while these conversations were going on.  She told me the dog always
accompanied her husband during his morning routine.  Buster sent me a
picture of his daddy working out on an exercise machine, then going
into the shower.  He told me this was his favorite part of the morning,
because he loved getting a spray of water in his face.  He said his
daddy was very particular about his dress, sometimes changing shirts
twice in the morning if he didn't like the way he looked.

My client confirmed that her husband was very fastidious, and was
stunned when I told her Buster knew she was sad over losing one of her
favorite blue earrings.  The chatty dog also mentioned that he much
preferred her new bed covering to the old one and wanted to know for
certain if she was going to keep it.  She couldn't believe her pet was
so observant, but we were finding that Buster really had an eye for
detail.

I picked up a feeling of extreme worry from Buster.  He told me his
daddy was very worried because his hair was falling out, and now his
mommy was upset because his hair was beginning to fall out too.  THE

PET

PSYCHIC 191

There was a definite connection between the two problems.  Buster had
picked up his owner's fear of hair loss.  Because he loved his owner so
much and strongly identified with him, he started worrying his hair
would fall out too.  His worry had grown so all-consuming it became a
self-fulfilling prophecy and Buster started to experience a sort of
sympathetic baldness, shedding so much hair that he too developed bald
spots.

Buster asked me if his hair would keep falling out like his daddy's.  I
promptly told him that dog hair did not fall out like human hair, so he
had no need to worry.  I told his mommy that Buster was picking up
tremendous stress and worry from his daddy.  His belief that he would
become bald like his daddy was so powerful that it was actually making
his hair fall out, even though there was no physical reason for the
hair loss.

I told my client she had to constantly remind Buster his hair was not
supposed to fall out so he needn't worry about such a thing
happening.

I explained to Buster that his master's worry about his inevitable
baldness was natural, but that didn't mean that Buster's hair would
fall out too.

I asked the lady to keep me informed of Buster's condition and to tell
me if there was any change in his coat.  I told her to reinforce the
idea that his hair was fine; it was only Daddy's hair that was falling
out.

My client returned a month later to tell me that Buster's hair was
growing back, and all the bald patches were covered over.  If only I
had the same luck in restoring human hair, I should be able to retire
in six months!

"IT is not necessary to go around in a state because you know your pet
is watching you.  Rather, let it serve as a reminder to be on your best
behavior; to be the best possible pet owner you can be.  If you are
kind and loving to your pet, and treat him with courtesy and respect
for his feelings, then you really have nothing to worry about, because
your pet will have only nice things to say about you.  If occasionally
your pet lets you know with a look that he has caught you in a funny
situation, let it go.  None of us is perfect.

But you shouldn't have to guess at your pet's thoughts and feelings.

With a bit of practice, almost anyone who is open to the idea can learn
how to communicate telepathically with animals.  In the next chapter, I
will give you step-by-step instructions on how to achieve that
communication, along with easy exercises you can do to test your
ability to reach your pet on the telepathic level.  You can build a
better relationship with your animal if you just open your mind.

CHAPTER

TWELVE

If I Could Talk to the Animals

Communicatin9 ivith Your Animal

"y clients often ask me exactly how I communicate with //L their
pets.

But what people are really curious about is whether they themselves can
establish telepathic communication with animals.  The answer is yes.

In this chapter, I will explain the specifics of telepathic
communication, which is how I "talk" to animals, and give step-by-step
instructions that will enable many readers to open a channel of
telepathic communication with their own pets.

The most important skill you must master before you attempt telepathic
communication with your pet is the art of relaxation.  Many people find
it difficult to meditate or relax.  If you follow these basic
instructions, you can achieve a state of relaxation rather quickly.

Unplug the phone, turn off the television and radio, lock the door if
you have to.  If there is a particular piece of soft music you like,
listen to that.  I like to be still and quiet with no music.  You will
find what works best for you.

Sit on a comfortable chair or lie on your bed and close your eyes.

Concentrate on your breathing and breathe deeply in and out.  Bring
your awareness to your body.  Start to relax your toes and feet.  Feel
the relaxed feeling traveling through your legs and knees up to the top
of your legs as you continue to breathe deeply in and out.  Feel the
lower half of your body relaxing.  Feel the relaxed feeling traveling
through to your chest right through to your shoulders, then down
through your arms and elbows to your wrists.  Feel your hands and
fingers relaxing.  Feel that relaxation traveling up through your neck
and face, relaxing your eyes.  Soon your eyes will begin to feel heavy
and now your head will be completely relaxed.  Feel that wonderful
feeling traveling throughout your body.  Now that you are in a relaxed
state, you are ready to start.

No matter how relaxed you are, you will not be successful if your pet
is distracted.  Animals will not listen if they have other things
occupying their attention.  Humans are not so different.  If you were
studying for an exam, your mind would be occupied with your work and
not particularly receptive to any other stimuli.  You would certainly
not want to start a conversation.  You would not even be listening.

It is the same with animals, even though their method of communication
is telepathic and not verbal.  When people tell me their dog won't
listen to them, my first thought is, "What is he doing when you are
trying to talk to him?"  If he is busy scratching or watching a
squirrel through the window, he won't be very interested in anything
you have to say; he is already pleasantly occupied.

If you hope to have any success communicating with your pet, either
telepathically or verbally, you must wait until your animal is quiet
and not distracted by anything else before you try communicating with
him.  Make sure your animal has been fed and taken out, and that aIl
his physical needs have been met before you begin.  Choose a quiet time
and make sure you have your THE PET PSYCHIC 19$

pet's complete attention.  Don't worry if your pet is dozing; you can
reach him on a telepathic level even if he is sleeping.  Then take your
pet to the quiet, peaceful spot you have chosen, relax, clear your
mind, and begin.

Telepathic communication is not as hard as you might think.  I have
developed two easy exercises-one for dogs and one for cats-that will
give you clear proof that you have reached your animals on a telepathic
channel.  It's a bit more complex when you try to determine whether or
not you have received telepathic communication from your pet, because
that involves trusting your imagination and intuition.  But we shall
come to that later.  First, the exercises, which are different for dogs
and cats, because our most popular domestic pets react best to
different stimuli.

Communicating with Your Dog

Either touch your animal or say his or her name so he will know you
want to communicate.  Imagine you are going to take your dog out for a
walk.  (Don't perform this experiment if the weather won't permit a
walk, because it is very important to fulfill with physical action what
we promise our animals on the telepathic level, or else they will learn
to distrust us.) Imagine how much fun a walk would be and picture the
path you will take, and all the exciting sights and scents your dog
might encounter along the way.  See yourself running or walking
alongside your dog, and feel the exhilarating sense of freedom and the
joy of experiencing nature firsthand.

The more you let your feelings and imagination soar, the stronger your
communication will be and the better your chance of success.  Be
confident.  You are painting pictures with your feelings and
imagination, which your pet will see as surely as if you had painted
them with a brush on canvas.  Remember how you use your imagination in
everyday life to create ideas and dreams, to set goals, and make
plans.

That is no different than what I am asking you to do with your pet.

Now, take the pictures and feelings you have created, and use your mind
energy to "toss" them out as you would a ball from your hand.  Then
watch carefully to see your pet's reaction.  If he starts to bark and
runs excitedly to where his leash is kept, he has telepathically
received the message that you want to take him for a walk, and now it
is time to keep your promise.  It really is that easy.

Communicating with Your Cat

Since a walk on a leash is not at all appealing to most cats, I've
devised a different exercise for them.  I surest you entice cats with a
treat.  Picture yourself opening a can of his favorite food: tuna or
chicken, whatever it is.  Then imagine the tantalizing smell, the
delicious taste.  Send out the feelings of pleasure your cat will have
when you share this treat with him, which will be soon if he shows you
by his actions that he has received your message.  If your cat starts
meowing and rubbing himself against you, or showing you the behavior
that typically precedes his mealtimes, then you will know you have
succeeded.

ra

Mr.  is important to preserve the integrity of these experiments by
using nothing other than the powers of silent suggestion on your pet.

It's not fair to get out the leash or rattle the tuna can, because then
the communication is auditory and not telepathic.

When you are attempting telepathic communication with your pet, it is
also most important that your body and mind work together.  Don't send
one message with your mind and THE PET PSYCHIC

another with your physical body.  That will confuse your animal and
defeat your attempts to communicate.  For instance, if you are telling
your dog verbally (with your physical body) you want him to be nice to
your new cat, but your mental image is of your dog chasing the cat, he
is likely to act on the more powerful telepathic picture.  Be sure to
picture telepathically just what you want while you are saying it
verbally.

Don't be too disappointed if you do not achieve success the first time
you try these tests.  Several factors can affect the outcome.  If you
are not relaxed, calm and focused, your telepathic communication may
not be very clear.  Remember too that animals vary in their ability and
desire to communicate telepathically.  If they are preoccupied with
something else when you try these experiments, your pets will not pay
much attention to you, novel though your communication attempts may
be.

It is my belief that humans are all born with the ability to
communicate telepathically.  I also believe that if we didn't have the
faculty of speech we would all communicate telepathically just as
animals do.  Everything we need for telepathic communication is already
wired into our brains.  But our lives are so busy and noisy; we are so
preoccupied with our thoughts and the cares of our everyday lives that
we don't take the time we need to be quiet and get in touch with our
inner senses and our imagination, which are essential steps to access
the telepathic channel.

As children, we are very aware of our inner senses.  We trust our
feelings and imaginations implicitly.  Ideally, we should continue to
trust our imagination as adults, but all too often we discount
information that comes from our imagination, and tell ourselves it must
not be real.  But in order to communicate telepathically with our
animals, we must believe in the power of our imaginations and not
discount what we are sensing, feeling and hearing.  Those feelings,
ideas, thoughts, and pictures that come to us unbidden when we are
relaxed and quiet are actually our animals' way of talking to us.  If
we shove them away, we are blocking a higher level of communication
with our pets that could bring us even closer to them.

Remember how I told you earlier in this chapter that it was a bit more
difficult to determine when an animal has sent a telepathic
communication back to us?  There is no sure-fire test for this.  One of
the most important things I tell my clients who are trying to establish
telepathic communication with their animals is that they must not
dismiss any thought, idea, or feeling that comes to them during their
attempts to communicate telepathically with their pets, no matter how
fantastic it may seem.  Rather, they should learn to welcome the images
and ideas that start flowing to them telepathically, because they
contain valuable information that could give them deep insight into
their pet's behavior and personality.

But what exactly is it you are looking for?  If you have sent a
telepathic communication to your pet, then suddenly discover an unusual
idea or picture forming in your brain, or hear a response spoken inside
your head, you have succeeded.  Trust your imagination and do not
dismiss these unfamiliar images and feelings out of hand.  As you
become more adept at telepathic communication, you will experience a
whole new dimension of joy and awareness and gain an understanding of
the animal kingdom that will enhance both your life and that of your
animals.

My friend Pat, never had any experience with telepathic communication,
but as she grew in awareness, she decided to try her hand at it and
sent out a picture of a can of tuna to her cat, who was sleeping across
the room.  Pat concentrated on sending the delicious taste of the tuna,
and the feeling of happiness the cat would have while eating the
treat.

Immediately, the cat woke THE PET PSYCHIC

Seven'SimfeStps to Communicating with dour et

1. Begin with a balm and tranquil mind and seek' out a calxtu and
tranquil atmosphere for you and your animal.

2. Say your animal's name telepathically to, get its attenYioa.  '

3. Visualize your animal as you say its name.

4. Send a picture of its physical body.  Direct this to it, along with
its name:

5. Ask if there is anything your pet would like you to do for it.

Imagine your animal is sending an answer back to you and accept
whatever you receive in your imaginatian.

6. Always acknowledge the answer, whatever you receive back from your
animal.

7. Continue to ask it other questions, and remember to trust your
imagination for what you are receiving back from your animal.

up, bounded across the room and up into Pat's lap, meowing loudly for
the promised treat.  Pat was quite taken aback with her quick
success.

But don't worry if you don't receive an answer the first few times you
communicate.  It is a surprise to your pet the first time he hears your
telepathic voice and some pets take a while to get used to hearing you
on that channel.  If you continue to practice, you will eventually
succeed.

Keep your sessions brief, about ten minutes or so, as animals have
short attention spans and tire quickly.  If you drone on, you will lose
their attention.  Be aware of his body language, as that will give you
clear signals about your pet's receptiveness.

Don't keep asking the same question for too long because animals get
bored just like people do.  If you don't receive an answer, change your
question to something else.  Try asking if there is anything your pet
would like you to do for them.  Give them a chance to think about your
question.  Don't ask more than one question at a time.  Accept whatever
you receive back, but don't add your thoughts to this feeling or
picture.  Always acknowledge your animal has spoken to you.  Pet him,
thank him and tell him how much you love him.

As your communication skills start to improve, you will find that you
no longer have to meditate down.  You will find you can use telepathic
communication in your everyday life while going about your routine.  If
you are in your kitchen and have your pets' dinner ready or a treat for
them, send the message out telepathically and see how they respond.

Send a picture of the dinner and putting it down for them and them
eating it.  Try these little exercises as you go about your everyday
routine and you will be pleasantly surprised to discover how your
awareness and telepathic abilities are increasing.

When you have mastered the basics of telepathic communication, you can
go a step further.  Now you recognize your animal's language, your
intuitiveness is sharpened, so therefore, you are using your energy and
emotional body to its full capacity.  You are not only speaking the
animal's language, you are experiencing a whole new world of
communication, and now you THE PET PSYCHIC 2O1

understand there is much more than the faculty of speech to communicate
with.  You are using your telepathic ability to communicate mentally,
physically, and spiritually with your animal.

You will find once your physical body responds, you will start to feel
and experience what the animal is feeling.  Imagine yourself on all
fours, in the same posture as your animal.  Your arms are your pet's
two front legs, your back legs are their back legs.  Maybe you feel
pain in your right leg.  That would relate to your animal's right hind
leg.  If you get a pain in your left hand, that might mean your
animal's left paw is hurting.

When you start to feel pain or uncomfortable feelings that you know do
not relate to you, don't dismiss them.  Your pet may be transmitting
any discomfort he feels in his physical body to your physical body.

This ability to communicate physical feelings telepathically will help
you to know what is wrong with your animal before any veterinarian
does.  So now you are not only speaking with your mind energy, you are
speaking with your emotional and physical body and your
intuitiveness.

If you follow these basic steps of communicating with your animal, many
of you will be able to establish a recognizable telepathic link with
your pet.  Once you are proficient, you will find you don't have to
concentrate quite so hard on relaxing; it will begin to come
automatically with practice.

If you hope to master telepathic communication, you must learn to trust
your feelings and imagination as children do.  You must be open so that
the feelings and pictures your animals send to you are not discarded
out of hand, but examined, interpreted, and utilized to enhance
communication.  Remember: Trust your imagination!  With practice and
concentration, many of you will be able to sign on to the telepathic
communication channel your pets use every day.2O2 SONYA ITZPATRICK

Whether or not you ever experience telepathic communication with your
animal, you can achieve much simply by making sure that all your spoken
communications are delivered with love, gentleness and positive
energy.

In this way, your pet can always be assured of your love and caring,
which will go a long way toward eliminating some common behavioral
problems before they start.

How Animals Help People

We've talked quite a bit about different ways we can communicate with
our animal companions, but now let's discuss how animals communicate
with us.  Animals want to help humans in any way they can.  While all
of us can benefit from having pets in our lives, perhaps no one loves
and appreciates their furry friends more than people whose lives are
restricted by advancing age, illness or disability.  What frail
seniors, sick and disabled people have in common is the isolation their
condition imposes, and isolation leads to loneliness.  Who better to
alleviate loneliness than a warm and devoted animal that loves you
unconditionally?

As you may well know from your own experience, animals have a special
sensitivity to the needs of people who are experiencing any sort of
difficulty.  They seem to know instinctively just what is needed and do
everything within their power to ease trying situations.  They sense
whenever we are not at our best and could use a little boost, and they
cheerfully appoint themselves to provide that boost.

I frequently hear stories of animals that have spent the whole of a
person's illness lying patiently on the foot of the bed, waiting for
their human companion to recover from the flu or a cold or an injury.

They also make themselves quietly available even if THE PET PSYCHIC

ZO3

their human is not actually ill, but perhaps feeling just a little
blue.  If this has ever happened to you, you know what a great comfort
it is to have your animal companion close at hand when you are not
feeling your best.  This is because animals are constantly transmitting
out the feeling of love; when you pet or hold an animal you can feel
the love from him.  Love is the greatest pure healing energy in the
universe.  When humans who are not feeling well have contact with their
pets, they receive the healing love energy from their animal companion
and that is why they feel better.

Many people have asked me how animals know when we are feeling bad,
particularly when we are trying to push and stay on our routine.  It is
because our comfortable and familiar scent changes when we fall ill,
and our animal companions, who use their noses to gather information in
much the same way that we use our eyes and ears, instantly know that
something is off.  Immediately, they make it their job to tend to us,
sending us wave after wave of love.  That is why having an animal
around when we are i11 actually makes us feel better.  It's not just
their physical presence that benefits us; it's the active healing they
provide that helps us to mend from both physical and psychological
distress.

Having animals around is also a wonderful effective remedy for
stress.

When you are feeling pressured and out of sorts, just a few minutes of
cuddling and small talk with your beloved animal companion is often all
it takes to get yourself feeling calm and centered once again.

But pets do more than just make us feel better; they can actually
hasten our recovery and even improve our chances of surviving a
life-threatening illness.  If that sounds like a wild claim, let me
assure you that it has been scientifically proven.  Twenty-five years
ago, Erika Friedmann, a researcher at the

University of Pennsylvania, conducted a now-famous study on survival
rates following a heart attack.  Much to her own amazement and that of
her colleagues, she discovered the most positive indicator of survival
was pet ownership.  In other words, if a person had a companion animal,
they were much less likely to pass away in the year following their
heart attack than people who did not have animals in their homes.  In
fact, so powerful is the love of our pets that studies have proven that
people who do not have pets are five times more likely to die following
a heart attack than people who do have animal companions.

How can this be?  It is simple.  Illness is a huge stress on the body,
and as stress starts to build, it can trigger a cascade of detrimental
side effects in the body, some of them potentially fatal.  But animals,
who are aware of everything, instinctively know when their human
companion is in difficulty and insofar as they are able, they make it
their job to protect them from further harm.

People often get angry and frustrated because they do not understand
everything that has happened to them during an illness; yet, when they
receive their animal's love it does make them feel better.  They
recover more rapidly and live longer because the energy of the love
that their animal companion is projecting toward them acts as a healing
blanket, shielding and protecting them from further harm.

Other studies have shown that having animals in your home reduces
loneliness, promotes relaxation, lowers blood pressure and pulse rate
and also helps to fight depression.  You would have to swallow whole
bottles of pills every day just to equal all the physical benefits that
our animal companions provide, not to mention the psychological
benefits.  And for those of you who might be thinking that you do not
need an animal friend because THE PET PSYCHIC 2O$

you have plenty of human ones, let me ask you this: Do all your human
friends love you unconditionally?  Because your animal friends do.  It
is the only kind of love they know how to give.

There are some cats that transmit healing energy that will sense when
their human parent is ill by lying on their body, often on the chest
area.  Such cats are very aware and know that they have the ability to
heal.  The ancient Egyptians were well aware that cats have this
ability to heal and had healing cats in all their temples.  If your cat
attempts to lie on you, know that it is his way of sending you healing
energy so that you will feel better.  Try to relax and Iie still and
allow your cat to stay on your body as long as he wishes, for he will
know when his work is done.

It is quite interesting to note that veterinary studies prove that
loving human companionship produces the same beneficial effects on
animals' health and longevity as their companionship does on ours.

This only goes to prove the incredible power of the bond between humans
and animals.

Animals transmit compassion and love to their human companions in much
the same way that a radio tower sends messages out over the airwaves.

They know everything that is happening around them; if they sense that
something is off, they want to help.  When they are able to help their
families by providing healing energy and companionship during times of
illness or stress, they feel the same pride that we do when we perform
important work.

Just as we put on our best business suit before we go into an important
meeting, animals who are doing healing work like to dress up to show
that they are doing something special as well.  They love to wear
bandanas; it makes them feel very important.  So, if your animal
companion is lying faithfully on the bed of your sick child, remember
to praise him for his devotion and reward him by thanking him and
giving him a hug.

Once the positive effects of companionship with animals were
scientifically proven, many nursing homes and long-term care facilities
created visitation programs to provide the love and healing benefits of
animals to people whose condition or circumstances precluded them
having pets of their own.  Trained companion animals especially
selected for their sociability and easygoing temperaments are taken
around by volunteers to visit shut-ins and other people who do not
regularly have access to companion animals.  Wherever it has been
implemented, the animal visitation day quickly becomes a favorite of
residents at facilities like retirement homes and homes for develop
mentally disabled individuals.

While most animals are only too happy to provide this service to
humans, it is wise to remember that a few are not willing.  I once
counseled a woman who had been through a long illness.  She was upset
because her dog, a beautiful Border collie named Mildred, would no
longer come sit on her bed to keep her company.  She and Mildred had
always been close companions, spending every possible moment
together.

When I spoke to Mildred, it turned out that the smell of the harsh
chemical disinfectant being used in the sick room was offensive to her
delicate nose.  Once her family switched to a natural cleanser, Mildred
returned to her sick human's side.

Sometimes though, the pet's problem is the odor emanating from the sick
person and there is little you can do about that except to explain to
them what is happening.  Animal's noses and olfactory systems are so
much more sensitive than ours that they can pick up odors and nuances
of scent we don't even realize are on the air.  As I mentioned earlier,
animals like smells that THE PET PSYCHIC 2O7

are comfortable and familiar; they help to keep them oriented.  So when
a person falls ill and suddenly starts g?ving off an entirely different
odor, it can be quite upsetting and disorienting for their animal
companions.

There are excellent animal visitation programs all over the country so
I will mention just a few here.  You can go online and perform an
Internet search to locate one near you.  The College of Veterinary
Medicine at the Llniversity of Tennessee sponsors H.A.B.LT.  or
Human-Animal Bond of Tennessee.  The group makes regular visits to
nursing homes, assisted living centers, retirement and mental health
centers, residential facilities for children with special needs and
adult day cares.  Dr.  Earl Strimple of Washington, D.C."s MacArthur
Animal Hospital created a nationally recognized program called "People
Animals Love" to send companion animals to comfort people in prisons
and hospitals.

No matter what they are called-Visiting Pets, Therapy Pets, or Animal
Assistants-their purpose is the same ... to bring a little warmth and
love and cheer to people who desperately need some comfort and
reassurance.

The idea of employing animals to assist humans who have health or
mobility problems has become so well-regarded that many colleges now
offer courses of study in animal-assisted therapy and counseling.

Instead of simply visiting people, some companion animals are now
trained to provide invaluable assistance to people who otherwise might
not be able to have any independence.

We are all familiar with seeing-eye dogs; those brilliant and attentive
canine companions that allow blind people to safely enjoy some
mobility.  We see them on the street with their human companions,
carefully guiding them around obstacles in their paths, and steering
them away from danger.  We even see them in places where dogs are not
normally allowed, such as restaurants, theaters and public
transportation.  But most of us are not aware that many other animals,
including ponies and monkeys, are now routinely trained to work as
service animals.

Catholic Charities provides free service ponies to develop mentally
challenged children.  A national organization called Personal Ponies
does the same thing for disabled children throughout the country.  LIK
Miniature Shetlands, naturally hardworking, patient and kind by
temperament, are trained to provide gentle companionship for such
children.  Parents frequently report that children whose behavior was
unmanageable calm right down once they receive their very own ponies.

Others whose children were suffering from depressed spirits due to
their conditions or chronic illness report that all signs of sadness
departed once their pony came to live with them.

The ponies realize they are taking care of the child they are assigned
to and they take their responsibilities seriously.  Some disabled
children, such as those suffering from autism, are quite bright, but
are virtually prisoners of their conditions, shut off from human
contact and unable to communicate in any discernible fashion.  While
humans frequently label such children as "stupid," ponies know the
children are not stupid at all.  They speak telepathically to the child
and for the first time, the child has someone to understand him.  They
feel heard because the pony understands and answers in the same
language.

I once had a client who came to see me about her dog and brought along
her autistic son.  When they arrived, I picked up the boy's thoughts
quite strongly; he was very excited about a recent ride on a therapy
pony and wanted to know if he could have a pony of his own.  His mother
was blown away by the fact that I knew her son had just been riding and
I explained to her THE PET PSYCHIC 2OJ

how her son was transmitting his thoughts telepathically in the same
way that animals do.  Most of us let o of our capacity for telepathic
communication once we master the power of speech, but disabled
individuals who cannot speak have no other language other than the
telepathic one.  That is why they connect so strongly with animals
because to them, animals are the only ones who understand them.

Ponies are not the only working service animals.  More than twenty
years ago, a trained capuchin monkey was placed in the home of a
paralyzed man to see if she could help him with his day-to-day tasks
such as eating and opening mail.  The experiment was so successful that
the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the National Science Foundation
both provided grants to study monkeys and see if they could truly be
trained as service animals for quadriplegics.  The results of the
studies were positive and an organization called Helping Hands was
created to train and provide service monkeys.  More than seventy are
now in the homes of people throughout America who suffer from paralysis
or degenerative diseases that impair their ability to move about and
care for themselves.  The group lovingly trains and places an
additional twelve monkeys each year, which are provided free of charge
to those needing them.  They only use humane training methods, no
punishment, to reward the monkeys for the invaluable service they
render.  Llnlike service dogs that live anywhere from eight to twelve
years on average, service monkeys have a life span of thirty to forty
years, so the same monkey is able to stay and help its human companion
over the course of a lifetime.

I've shared just a few stories about the benefits of animal
companionship and I'm sure you know of many more.  If you want to help
people whose circumstances deprive them of the SONYA "FITZPATRIGK

chance to have an animal companion on a regular basis, please consider
volunteering for a pet therapy program.

It is not only domestic pets that can benefit from telepathic
communication with humans.  In the next chapter, I will share some
interesting stories of communication with wild animals.  CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

Howls and Whispers ammunicating with Wild Animals

S o far we have talked only of domestic pets, but it is also possible
to communicate telepathically with wild animals.

Though the vast majority of requests for my help concern family pets, I
do have cases in my files where a client asked that I establish
communication with a wild or feral animal to help them resolve some
problem.

Pat's Raccoons

My friend Pat has provided me with my most fascinating and perhaps
longest-running case of telepathic communication with wild animals.

One evening in the fall of 1995, Pat and I were together and I noticed
she looked very tired.  When I asked her why, she replied she had been
up most of the night before due to a series of awful noises coming from
her attic: crashes, thumps, skittering and scratching.  Pat didn't know
what was causing the noise, but was afraid her home had been invaded by
an army of rats or worse.  Her children were even more scared than she
was.

I asked if I could use Pat's energy to connect to the nocturnal
invaders and immediately sensed her intruder was a raccoon, a young
female.  As winter was approaching, I knew the animal was looking for a
place to keep warm, but I also knew that attics, with their asbestos
insulation and electrical wiring, could be very dangerous places for
wild animals.

The raccoon said she had been living in a hollow in Pat's backyard that
had caved in during a period of heavy rain.  Now, she was looking for a
new home.  I asked how she had gained access to Pat's house and she
told me there was a rotten place in the wood next to Pat's chimney and
she had managed to chew through to the attic.  The raccoon told me she
could feel the warm air coming through the hole and decided Pat's attic
would make a highly suitable winter home.

I told Pat to speak to the raccoon and tell her she must come out of
the attic, but I knew she also had to provide the raccoon with an
alternate home for the winter or the animal would not leave.  She made
that much very clear to me when I communicated with her.  You must
remember when you move wild animals from one place to another that you
have to provide a suitable habitat for them to move into; otherwise you
will have no luck with the transfer.

Though a bit skeptical, that evening Pat took a flashlight, shone it
into the hole in her soffit, and told the raccoon she must speak to
her.  To Pat's surprise, the raccoon immediately came out and listened
attentively while Pat told her she was welcome on her property, but
that she must move to the new house she would provide.  She even posed
for a picture Pat took to show me.  In the meantime, Pat asked the
raccoon to quiet down at night, so that she and her children could
sleep without interruption.  Pat told the raccoon that if she had work
to do, she should do it in the early evening, before her family went to
sleep.  The raccoon turned and went back into the house.  Immediately a
commotion broke out and for the next three hours, the raccoon was busy
in the attic.

5uddenly, all became quiet, and remained quiet all night lone.  The
raccoon kept to this pattern of work in the early evening and quiet all
night.  Pat decided this arrangement would be satisfactory, and so she
lived all during the winter, with no difficulties from her resident
raccoon and no disturbances.  She left the hole in the soffit open for
the raccoon to come and o.

Considering what happened to Pat and the raccoon the following spring,
we now know it would have been better for Pat to have built the raccoon
house at this time.  But she really did not yet know enough about
raccoons to design an effective home for them, plus she had some
financial considerations that would not have permitted the construction
of a suitable habitat at that time.

In the spring of 1996, two rogue male raccoons showed up to court Pat's
boarder.  Peace and quiet disappeared.  I tried communicating with the
two males to tell them they must quiet down, but they were in no mood
to listen.  Their emotions were high, and just as with humans, raging
emotions kept the raccoons from choosing the best path.  Their jealousy
toward one another and fierce desire to prevail in the mating contest
kept them from responding to my reasonable requests to stop being so
loud and combative.  Pat was falling over with fatigue and her children
didn't want to stay at the house because of the noises the raccoons
were making all night lone.

Finally, one night while Pat and her children were watching television
together, a furious fight broke out above them.  The rival suitors
screeched and scrambled back and forth from oneJ 14 SorrYn W rzrnrRicx
end of Pat's attic to the other.  Pat thought the fight would end
momentarily, but the noise and violence of the conflict kept
escalating.  Suddenly, there was a loud crash in the garage.  Pat went
running just in time to see two huge raccoons scramble back up the
walls and disappear into a gaping hole they had created when they came
plummeting through the garage ceiling, bringing about ten square feet
of Sheetrock and insulation down with them.

Pat had reached the end of her rope.  She called a wildlife removal
expert, only to discover there was then a quarantine in effect in Texas
that prohibited the transportation of rabies susceptible species such
as raccoons.  In effect, the raccoons could not be removed from Pat's
property without breaking the law.

Pat and I discussed what to do.  She called a raccoon expert, who
advised her to scoop up fresh dog poop every morning and distribute it
throughout her attic.  The expert said raccoons hated does and the
smell of the poop would discourage them from staying in the attic.  Pat
told me she could hardly blame them for that, and worried that the
smell might be a bit much for her to bear too.  Nor did she relish the
idea of sneaking out in the early hours to collect fresh dog poop each
morning.  She wasn't certain what this would do to her reputation with
her neighbors.  So Pat found herself unable to comply with this advice,
and asked what else the expert would recommend.

Pat was next advised to spray her attic with ammonia each evening, once
again working on the noxious smell theory .  The ammonia did chase off
the raccoons, but they always returned as soon as the smell
evaporated.

They recommended playing loud, obnoxious rock music in the attic, but
it did nothing to disturb the raccoons, and kept Pat and her children
more awake than ever.

Pat then bought some vinyl-coated steel hardware cloth.  The next time
the raccoons exited the attic, she nailed the rigid metal mesh over the
hole, sealing it completely.  She put a humane trap baited with the
raccoons' favorite cat food in the attic in case one or more of the
raccoons was still inside the house.  That evening, she heard the trap
spring shut and discovered she had captured a large raccoon.  Because
of the rabies quarantine, the wildlife experts told Pat the only thing
she could do with the raccoon that was legal was to release it on her
property, so the next morning, Pat let the raccoon loose in her
backyard and he hightailed it for the nearest tree.

A couple of peaceful months went by, then Pat once again heard
scratching in the ceiling of her bedroom, near where the original
entrance hole had been.  When she investigated the next morning, she
saw that the steel reinforced hardware cloth had been bent back like it
was a piece of cardboard.  The raccoons were back.

I connected to them through Pat's energy and found just the one female
I had communicated with originally.  She told me she was pregnant and
her babies were due any day.  She needed some place to raise her
litter.  Pat is too kindhearted for her own good sometimes, so she
agreed to let the raccoon mother stay if she would be quiet.  There
were not too many other options available to her because of the rabies
situation.

Another couple of peaceful months went by, then the babies left the
nest and started wrestling and chasing each other all over the attic.

Since they were infants, they were not very responsive to my requests
that they behave themselves.

Pat and I were still trying to figure out what to do when her house
became quite hot.  Pat called a contractor who discovered that the
raccoons, to relieve their own discomfort from the Texas heat, had
sliced open the air-conditioning ducts in Pat's attic, and were living
in cool comfort above while she and her children sweltered below.  Both
Pat and I were incredulous, but the contractor insisted that raccoons
frequently "air-conditioned" attics to maintain their own summertime
comfort.  He said he had seen many such examples of raccoon
intelligence and inventiveness in the course of his work.

Pat had another shock when she finally called her insurance company.

The raccoons had caused more than five thousand dollars in damage
during their nine-month stay, but the actuary assured Pat her case was
not unusual.  She said raccoon damage was the number one cause of
homeowner claims in our area.

Pat rented the humane trap again, unhappy that such traps, while
securing the animal without injury, can hold just one animal at a
time.

She knew there was a family in her attic, but hoped that if she
released them all in the same area, they could find each other again.

Then Pat and her family could finally have some peace of mind, and a
house free of ongoing damage and constant, all-night noise from the
raccoons.

Over the course of the next three weeks, Pat trapped the adult female
and two of her babies, old enough at that point to be called
juveniles.

After checking to make sure the raccoon mother was no longer nursing,
Pat released her in a park close to a lake, which she hoped would
ensure an abundant source of food and water.  Pat told me the mother
sang a woeful, trilling song when she was released, a noise unlike
anything Pat had ever heard from a raccoon's throat.  I knew the
raccoon was heart broken because she was being taken from her babies,
but she was no more heartbroken than Pat, who was suffering agonies of
guilt over the entire situation.

As I mentioned earlier, Pat had planned to release the babies in the
same spot as the mother, with the hope they could reunite their family
in the wild.  But it was several days before the first juvenile went
into the trap.  In the interim, we had a heavy rain THE PET PSYCHIC

which washed away all traces of the adult female's scent, so the babies
wouldn't have been able to track their way back to their mother.

After she trapped the first juvenile, Pat sought the advice of the
Texas Wildlife Center, who told her that releasing such a young animal
in the wild, even in the same area in which its mother had just been
released, would be an almost certain death sentence.  Raccoons stay
with their mother for at least a year while she teaches them to hunt
and protect themselves from their natural predators such as owls,
hawks, dogs, and humans.  These babies were old enough to provide
themselves with an adequate, if somewhat limited, diet, but their
mother had not yet taught them all the lessons they needed to learn in
order to survive and live a normal life in the wild.

In addition to rabies, there was an epidemic of distemper among
raccoons in our area, and the experts, though legally unable to ask Pat
to bring the juvenile to them, strongly suggested they would know best
how to deal with it.  So Pat took the darling little animal, knowing
full well she was breaking the law, but not having any other choice.

She had to get the raccoons out of her attic as quickly as possible so
she could have repairs made and secure her home once again.

The people at the center are dedicated to wildlife, and hold the
interests of wild animals over those of humans, as well they should.

They told Pat that raccoon habitats are rapidly being destroyed by
urban sprawl and over building and the animals have no choice but to
invade homes during cold winter months so they can survive and stay
warm.  Pat felt very sad that the raccoons' natural habitat had
collapsed, but knew she could no longer share her attic with them.

There are several remarkable things about this story.  One is the
responsiveness of the adult female raccoon to telepathic
communication.

Every time we asked her to quiet down, she did so immediately.  And yet
the adult males, in the throes of springtime passion, ignored our pleas
for consideration.  The babies too were difficult to instruct, because
they were so little and playful.

Pat believes, as I do, that we all have a responsibility to care and
provide for animals; that they have as much right to be here as we
humans do.  She knew raccoon habitats were being destroyed, but did not
know why they were invading so many homes in our area, which is heavily
forested.  Pat thought there should have been plenty of potential
raccoon homes available in the many large trees growing all around
us.

Pat started investigating and discovered the reason the raccoons had
chosen her home instead of one of the dozens of mature trees in her
backyard is that raccoons cannot live out in the open.  They must have
a protected shelter in which to sleep, winter over, and raise babies.

This information got Pat to thinking ... if raccoon damage was the
number one cause of homeowner insurance claims in our area, then
raccoons must be responsible for damaging homes in other areas also.

Pat came up with the idea of developing an artificial "coon hollow"
which homeowners could attach in a tree in their backyard to attract
raccoons.  Admittedly, it would not be heated or air-conditioned, but
if properly designed, it could prevent problems for many homeowners
while providing raccoons with a suitable place to live.  Once Pat has a
prototype of her coon hollow available for testing, I'm sure we will
have many more "raccoon stories" to share.

I am sure there are people out there who think Pat went a bit
overboard, whose first response to the raccoon invasion would have been
to get out the poison or shotgun.  To these people I say, every animal
was put here by God for a reason.  They all play a vital role in the
ecological balance of our earth and when we start trying to play God,
without regard for the innate balance that exists in all of nature, we
get into real trouble.

History is full of stories of ecological disasters that have occurred
after man recklessly altered the balance of nature to satisfy his own
needs of the moment.  Before you decide to eliminate a raccoon,
consider that they kill and eat poisonous snakes, yellowjackets, grubs,
larvae of many insects destructive to our crops and ornamental
shrubbery, slugs, carpenter and fire ants, carpenter bees, and many
types of destructive beetles.  Yes, raccoons, birds, and other wild
animals may occasionally spoil some of your garden vegetables, but just
remember the old and wise poem:

One for the birds One for the bees

One for the Good Lord And one for me.

I've never known a person who could eat all the production from their
gardens, so why not share your abundant harvest with wild animals?

Humans do not hold an exclusive right to exploit the earth's bounty for
their needs alone.  The fruits of the earth were put here for animals
to enjoy too.

Man is destroying wildlife habitat at a terrifying rate.  Where are
wild creatures supposed to live if we bulldoze all their trees and
hollows?  What are they supposed to eat?  It is incredible so many wild
animals have adapted and learned to live close to us.  If we don't make
accommodations for the animal kingdom in our planning, then we are
dooming ourselves to future problems, and perhaps, even signing the
planet's death certificate.  Maintaining a proper ecological balance
and learning to coexist in peaceful abundance with all the earth's
creatures are absolutely essential if the human race is to survive.

Repairs to Pat's home were scheduled, but the story hadn't ended.  Pat
was very concerned about the two juveniles remaining in her attic.  The
second one she had taken to the Wildlife Center had tested positive for
distemper.  I connected with the babies and sent them a picture of
walking into the trap side by side.  I told them that if they did that,
they could stay together in a lovely house Pat was having built in her
backyard.

The next morning, Pat called me very excited.  The two babies were in
the trap!  The carpenter rushed to complete the raccoon house, then Pat
painted it and moved the babies into their new home.

Now, every night around nine-thirty, the raccoons come out on their
raised porch to eat and drink, then they are off to explore the
neighborhood.  But their habitat no longer includes Pat's home, because
she has a solid new roof.  Acting on the advice of Mona Miller, who has
cared for injured and orphaned raccoons for many years, Pat also
sprayed a mixture of dog and human hair throughout her attic.  In the
unlikely event the raccoons break in once again, the scent of the hair
will chase them away with its danger signal, and keep them from
settling in.

Rutger Hauer

Pat has been so taken up with her raccoon experiences and her decision
to try and develop a coon hollow that she tells her story frequently.

A friend of hers, Stephanie, had been having difficulty with an
aggressive hummingbird who was trying to control access to all seven
hummingbird feeders in her back garden.  She nick-THE PET PSYGHIC 221

named him Rutger Hauer after the famous actor who was most often cast
in the role of a tough criminal.  Every time another hummingbird
approached any of the feeders, Rutger attacked the bird and chased it
off.

After Stephanie heard Pat's story, she decided to have a little talk
with Rutger.  This is an example of what I mean when I say that anyone
can communicate with animals.  Stephanie had no form aI training in
animal communication, but she believed she could do it, so she did.

Remember earlier how I emphasized that you must praise an animal to
gain its trust and attention?  Stephanie started her conversation with
Rutger by telling him she realized that he was a "macho, dominant kind
of guy bird," and as such, his job was to protect the weaker birds, not
attack them.  She sent the feisty little bird a picture of the
hummingbird feeders and told him to pick one feeder to guard, and let
the other hummingbirds share the remaining six.  She was picturing this
as well as saying it, and sending out the feelings of pride the little
bird must have felt at being the "cock 'o the walk."

This must have made sense to the bird, because to Stephanie's
amazement, Rutger complied with her request.  She suddenly found she
could communicate with the birds.  She was so pleased and surprised at
how simple it really was.

Things were peaceful in Stephanie's garden for a few weeks, then a new
challenge was mounted by a bird Stephanie called Sly Stallone.  Feeling
very confident, Stephanie had the same talk with Sly, sending out the
pictures and emotions to match her words, and she experienced the same
positive results.  He picked another feeder to guard, leaving Rutger
and the other birds alone.

Finally, an unusually dominant female showed up.  Stephanie dubbed her
Elizabeth Taylor, and gave her the talk, and Liz picked a third feeder
to guard.  Things are currently peaceful, but Stephanie has decided if
any more dominant birds show up she's going to have to start buying
nectar feeders wholesale.

Zula

One of my clients, Paula, a great animal lover, was living on a ranch
on Galveston Island, where she was feeding and caring for a number of
domestic, wild, and feral animals.  At the time she called, Paula was
in the process of training a possum named Sowelu, whose mother had been
killed.  When the training was complete, Paula was to release Sowelu in
the wild.  But the raccoons on the ranch were so fierce that Paula
found she couldn't release Sowelu and the possum ended up living in the
house like a cat.

Though Paula was calling about her missing cat, Zula, I connected first
to Sowelu who was quite chatty.  She told me that one night when she
walked about the floor one of the cats had scratched her on the nose.

Paula confirmed this had happened.  Sowelu then told me she was
confused about where Paula wanted her to go to the bathroom.  When I
asked Paula, she said she wanted the possum to use the litter box just
like the cats.  Paula said from that time forward, the possum never
missed the litter box again.  Then Sowelu complained that Paula had
cleaned the floor under her bed with something that smelled horrible.

When I asked Paula, she laughed and said she had been using a pine
scented cleanser, another example of how something chemical, which may
smell quite pleasant to humans, can upset the sensitive noses of our
animal friends, who like natural and not artificial odors.

There was a strong strain of Maine Coon Cat running among the feral
cats on the ranch.  Paula had adopted two females, Syl-THE PET PSYCHIC
phan and Kellie, and a male she named Zula, a magnificent specimen of
Mackerel Coon Cat, who had an apricot underbelly to set off his
distinctive raccoon-like markings.  Though still somewhat feral, Zula
had become a delightful companion for Paula, always clowning and making
funny faces and lying about the house in a variety of unusual
positions.  It especially amused Paula when Zula fell asleep on his
back with all four paws in the air.  His sudden disappearance broke
Paula's heart.

Sylphan came through next and informed me she was a very smart cat who
had an exceptionally beautiful tail, and confessed it was she who had
scratched Sowelu.  Then she told me Kellie had a terrible pain in her
back and could hardly walk.  Paula confirmed this too and told me
Kellie had been quite ill with a variety of complaints for some time.

I connected with Kellie and told Paula she had a pinched nerve in her
back, which could be helped with absent healing.  I sent healing energy
to Kellie and knew that my guides had relieved her pain.

But now my worry was Zula.  Paula had searched the ranch with no
luck.

I quieted myself and suddenly connected with a cat who told me he had
once fallen into the water and had to swim very hard to keep from
drowning.  When I told Paula she became very excited and said, "We've
got him!"  because Zula, who was given to parading up and down
railings, had once fallen from a rail into the canal which ran near the
ranch house.  We knew then that he was alive.

I asked Zula what had happened that caused him to leave the ranch.  He
said he had been fighting off the raccoons by standing on the back deck
and hitting them on the head.  Then two of the raccoons charged the
deck and he ran through the sliding glass door into the house, with the
raccoons in hot pursuit.  He told me the raccoons were really mad by
there and he was afraid of their wrath.  Raccoons have very sharp claws
and teeth, which they won'f hesitate to use in a fight, so Zula was
right to be concerned about his safety, especially as he had been
aggravating the raccoons.

Paula told me Zula knew to let the raccoons alone and was surprised to
hear he had been teasing them.  She provided plenty of food for both
her cats and the raccoons so it shouldn't have been an issue of
fighting over the food.  But Zula told me he had told the raccoons to
clear off because this was his house and his territory, and he didn't
like sharing it with them.

Zula told me the raccoons chased him through Paula's kitchen, out the
cat door and down the front deck stairs.  They kept right on chasing
him, and he was frightened so he hadn't stopped running until he was
off the ranch.  I asked Zula which way he went and he sent me a picture
of turning left as he went away from the ranch.  That made sense to
Paula who told me there was only one way to leave the ranch; you
couldn't go north because of the water, and the road went south.  That
was where Zula had gone.

I asked Zula for any unusual landmarks he might have seen along the way
and he transmitted a picture of several houses.  The most distinctive
one was a large house with a lighted tower that looked like a
steeple.

Paula knew exactly where this house was.  Zula said he went past there
and then went through a field.  Though I had never been to Galveston
Island and was miles away at my office during these communications,
Paula said the physical descriptions I was giving her were very
accurate.  She said the field Zula mentioned led to a couple of
developments; one called Kahala Beach and the other called Indian
Beach.  Paula already had prepared flyers.  Llsing the information I
had received from Zula, Paula went to those locations and put her
flyers out.  She spoke to everyone she saw about her beloved cat.

THE

PET PSYCHIC 22$

Though Zula loved Paula, he was jealous of the attention she paid the
raccoons and a bit afraid they would hurt him if he returned to the
ranch.  He liked it where he was, and planned on staying.  I asked him
for some more landmarks and he sent me a picture of a satellite dish.

This was most helpful to Paula, who told me that such dishes were
forbidden by deed restrictions in Kahala Beach, but not in Indian
Beach.  We were gradually narrowing down the field of search.

The next day, two workmen called from Indian Beach and told Paula they
had seen Zula.  She called me again and when I connected to Zula, he
told me he had seen the men and that their truck was dark blue, which
Paula said it was.  She started leaving food for Zula on the beach at
that location, and quickly discovered there was a large colony of feral
cats living there.  Paula started staying out late at night, sitting on
a beach chair on Indian Beach, hoping for some glimpse of her pet.

Though she saw many cats, there was no sign of Zula.

The following week, Paula called to consult me again, distraught that
she hadn't seen Zula.  She wanted me to tell her once more about the
landmarks.  I described the scenery leaving the ranch for her,
including an old house on the land and another outbuilding.

Then Zula sent me a picture of a brown tabby he really liked, liked so
well in fact that he had taken her on as a mate.  There were two
kittens with her, a white and gray, and a calico.  He sent me a picture
of the drainage culvert where he found them looking for water.  The
mother cat and her babies were all feral.

When I told this to Paula, she thought I was way off base because Zula
had been neutered.  I told her it was still possible for Zula to desire
the company of a female cat despite his operation, but she thought I
was wrong about the mother cat and her kittens.

That evening Paula went to the beach to put out food.  She lay in the
beach chair for a couple of hours, reading by flashlight and waiting
for Zula to appear.  Suddenly Paula felt intense energy at her
shoulder.  She turned and there was the brown tabby mother cat lying
about one hundred yards off in the field with her two kittens, one
calico and the other gray and white, just as Zula had said.  From that
time forward, the tabby let Paula see her all the time, but there was
still no sign of Zula.

Then just as suddenly, the mother cat stopped appearing.  I told Paula
that Zula had told the tabby to stop coming out to her.  By this time,
Paula was emotionally drained, and she questioned whether we really
were in touch with Zula or not.  I could see the pain and frustration
in her face.  I asked Zula to tell me something only Paula would know,
and he confessed he used to relieve himself in the water bowl to keep
the dogs and raccoons away.  When I relayed this to Paula, she was
elated, because Zula had done that.  But she still wondered why he
would never show himself to her.  He told me he was afraid Paula would
take him back to the ranch where the wild raccoons were, and he was
very happy where he was and did not want to be removed.  That was why
he told the mother cat to quit going out when Paula visited.

Paula's friend Annette did see Zula at night on more than one occasion,
but Paula never did.  He would tell me what Paula was wearing when she
came to the beach, so we knew he was watching her.  I felt this was the
oddest situation.  Here was a cat who obviously loved his mistress, and
she was crazy about him and mourned his absence to the point where she
sat on a deserted beach every night hoping to see him.

Yet he would not show himself.  He told me what she wore, where she
sat, who she talked to and what she said, but he could not be convinced
to come out.  THE PET PSYCHIC 22

Paula reluctantly accepted the fact that the beautiful cat she had
rescued from a feral life had freely chosen to return to that
precarious existence.  She still put out food, but the hope that she
would get her pet back began to fade.

Then something changed.  Paula moved to Houston, and was unable to go
every night to put out food and water.  We were in the middle of a
fierce drought.  When last I connected with Zula, he complained about
Paula's absence and of being thirsty and hungl-y.  I told him that
Paula had moved far away, and encouraged him to end his standoff and
come forward.  I told him he could bring his companion and her
offspring, and they would have all the food and water they wanted,
whenever they wanted.  Zula said he would think about it, but
emphasized he had to be free.  He had lived as a feral cat before, and
his freedom was the most important thing to him.  He loved Paula very
much but did not want to be shut in a house.

We are still in touch with Zula.  Fortunately, the drought ended with
the onset of the tropical storm season, so Zula and his family are no
longer thirsty.  But they still live a very dangerous and uncertain
life.  Paula is planning to move back to Galveston soon, and it is my
feeling that when she moves into her new house, Zula will return to
her, secure in the knowledge that he will not have to deal with the
raccoons anymore, and his desire for freedom will be respected.

THESE stories show how telepathic communication can be used to
establish a link with either wild or feral animals.  You do not have to
have any special training, just an open mind.  Anyone can use the
techniques outlined in chapter 12 to establish better communication
with animals, whether wild or domestic.

Once you have learned to establish this special bond, the hardest thing
is learning how to let go.  But there comes a time when every animal
dies.  That is what I discuss in the next chapter, how to cope when a
beloved pet passes on to the next dimension.

CHAPTER "FOURTEEN

Fond Farewells

How to Cope When a Beloved Pet Dies perhaps the most difficult time I
ever lived through was the illness and death of my beloved Rhodesian
Ridgeback, Bella.  I had her from a small puppy, and over the years,
she had become my most constant companion.

For each of us who share our lives with pets, the time comes when we
must say goodbye.  No one likes to think about their beloved pet dying,
but since few animals other than parrots and tortoises have a life span
comparable to that of humans, the day of grief is inevitable.

Domestic dogs and cats live an average of just ten to fifteen years, so
during the course of our lives we may have to say goodbye over and
again, first to one beloved animal companion, then to another.  I know
from experience the pain does not lessen with repetition.  Each time we
lose a pet, we feel the sadness intensely.

But we must let our animal companions go when their time comes.  The
greatest gift we can give a dying pet is to send them on their way with
our love and blessing so that they may make the transition from this
earth plane to the spirit world with dignity and at peace.  If our
grief at the thought of their death and our fear of what life will be
like without them are so unmanageable that we cannot let our pets go,
we cause animals that are in horrible pain to hang on and on, just to
please us.  That is a terribly irresponsible and unfeeling thing to
do.

While I am speaking of responsibility, I want to remind you to be sure
and make arrangements for your pet's ongoing care in case you yourself
should precede your animal companion in death.  I know of many pets
that have been tossed out on the street by unfeeling relatives, or
taken to shelters to be killed after their loving owner passes on,
simply because their human companion failed to plan for their future
needs.  You must specify exactly how you want your pet to be cared for,
and by whom.  If you are able to leave a bequest to cover your animal
companion's needs after your passing, so much the better.

If you can, make arrangements for a reliable friend with whom your pet
already has a loving and familiar relationship.  Ask if they will take
your pet in the event of your death.  This will allow you to feel
comfortable about your animal companion's future if you pass on before
they do.  If your finances permit, leave money adequate to provide for
your pet's care and outline your wishes for that care precisely in your
will, including the name of the person who has agreed to care for the
animal.  Do this even if you are young and in the prime of health,
because none of us knows with any certainty the exact day and method of
our own passing.  If you walk out the door and get hit by a car today,
your beloved pet could be hungrily wandering the streets or sitting in
a cage at the pound tomorrow.

Death is a natural part of life, but sometimes we humans lose track of
that reality.  In our imaginations, we paint death in dark and
frightening tones.  But we must remember that animals do

4r'".,"THE PET PSYCHIC 23]

not share our human fear of death; what they do fear is causing their
human companions pain when they depart their physical bodies and pass
over to the spirit world.  That is why they will struggle to hide an
illness or injury, to save us from worry, and why a dog or cat
approaching the end of its life will often take itself off into the
woods to die in private.  They choose to go back into the comforting
embrace of nature to transition, to spare their humans the agony of
watching their passing or of discovering the physical body they've left
behind when they passed into spirit.

We attach so much importance to our animal companion's physical
bodies.

Their soft fur and warmth comfort us, the bright sparkle in their eyes
fill us with joy.  The sheer exuberance of their delightful and
distinctive personalities brings so much love and happiness into our
lives that when they do leave we often cannot imagine how we are going
to go on without them.

Perhaps it would be helpful and ease your grief if I told you a little
about where animals go when they die.  Despite what some people are
taught that only humans have immortal soulsI know that animals are
spiritual beings.  When they die, they do not go off into a void, into
dark nothingness.  They go to a place of unearthly beauty, where joy,
peace, and happiness reign supreme; where memories of pain, care and
worries fade into bliss.  Knowing this and being the gift of being able
to see into the spiritual realm helped me cope when Bella passed
over.

When I realized Bella was becoming ill, I connected to her energy and
got a feeling of pain in one of my legs.  I sensed she had a tumor, and
our vet confirmed this.  Though I wanted to believe this would be one
of my miracle stories, deep inside I knew Bella was very close to
leaving her physical form.

For weeks after I learned of Bella's illness, I gave her healing,
relieving the pain in her leg and praying that what I knew to be true
would not actually turn out to be true.  I found it very painful to let
her go, hoping that she would just leave her physical form to save me
from having to make the decision to humanely end her life to spare her
suffering.

Finally, Bella's suffering became too much for me to bear.  I asked her
if she wanted to go.  Though she did not want to leave her family, she
said she was ready.

Fitz and Emma and I were heartbroken.  I phoned my sons in England,
Sean and Patrick, to let them know that Bella's time for leaving us was
close.  I didn't want my Bella to experience the upset of going to the
animal hospital, which she didn't like, so I asked the vet to come to
the house so we could all be with her.  That way, Bella would be in her
home surrounded by her loving family when she left her physical body.

Though I felt tremendous sadness, I knew that when Bella left the earth
she would go to a beautiful dimension where she would be happy and free
from pain.  I told Bella what was going to happen.  I told her we would
see each other again.  I asked her if she would help me in my work with
the animals when she passed over.  She said she would.  (And she
does.

I see her often and feel her presence while I am working.)

The final evening came much too quickly.  We all sat together on the
floor with Bella: my husband, Fitz, and I, my daughter, Emma, our cat,
Wellington, and Foxy foo.  I held her beautiful head in my lap, and we
gave her permission to leave, to go with our love and blessing.  The
vet administered a shot that caused Bella to go to sleep as I held her
in my arms.  I knew the exact moment when she left her physical body.

After she passed from her physical body, she thanked me for making the
decision to help her go and told me she was happy to get out of her
body and away from the pain.  She said that when the vet administered
that shot she could not leave her body soon enough.  THE PET PSYCHIC
Bella's pain was no more; she was at peace.  But our human pain had
just begun.  She had gone on and we had to learn to live without her,
but I knew that her energy would be with me forever.  We would never
get over the loss; we would just get used to living without her.

That is what I am still doing now learning to live without Bella's
physical presence.  I miss her companionship, her compassion, the joy
we shared at happy times together, her unfailing love and compassion
she gave me during sad times.  I miss the feel of her soft velvet coat,
the lick of her tongue against my cheek or hand, the beauty and love
shining from her eyes for all of us to see, her joyous bark, her paw
that lifted each time she wanted attention, the comfort of her presence
at night on the end of my bed, and the protection that she gave to me
at all times.  I miss my Bella.

I would like to share with you the poem my son, Patrick, sent to me
from England after Bella passed over.  It has comforted me greatly.

Bella's Eulogy by Patrick James

When we lose a friend like Bella,

only passing time can make a difference to the way that we all feel.

And when her loss hurts really hard,

by looking back and remembering, we can find the pleasure that will
help ease the pain and change our tears to laughter and joy.234 SONYA

ITZPATRICK

Bella was a friend like no other, and her loyalty had no barriers.

,;3_j The loving light in all our hearts is Bella who is within each of
us.

The love she had for our family was her l fe, and our love for Bella
was our greatest pleasure.

Though no animal can take the place of a pet that has passed on, very
often the addition of a new pet to the household can ease your loss.

In the course of my rescue work soon after Bella's death, my dog Honey
came into our lives.  I feel as if Bella sent her to us, so that she
could look after us and we after her.

Often it does help tremendously if you adopt another animal.  You may
feel guilty about bringing another animal into your home; that is
natural.  But don't let your grief keep your home empty of an animal
companion for too long.  Shelters are full of orphaned animals
desperate for loving homes.  Remember, you are not trying to replace
the animal you have lost; just looking for another animal you can love
as much, but in a different way.

It may help you to know that your animal companion who has passed over
is hoping that you do get another pet.  They want us to have the
benefits of companionship with animals and do not feel the senseless
jealousy that we humans sometimes fall prey to.  If that is a worry
that you have, let go of it and make a place in your life for a new
animal companion.

Some of you will be unable to adopt a new animal quickly as your grief
prevents you from being able to open your heart to a new love.  But I
can honestly say from experience that getting a new companion animal as
soon as feasible after the death of your beloved pet is the best way I
know of healing your grief.  Many people feel guilty about adding
another addition after their THE PET PSYCHIC 23$

friend has gone home to the other side.  However, when I talk to the
animals that have crossed over, their wish is always that their human
companions share their lives with another special animal friend.  I
still miss Bella and think of her each day; but the presence of Foxy
and Honey was a great comfort to me during my initial period of
mourning.

Since Bella's death we have lost two more beloved pets, my wonderful
cat, Wellington, and a lovely cat Fitz found and brought home.  We
named her Rosie.  Each time, we have felt an intense sense of loss, but
have found a way to heal with the love of our other animal
companions.

We always remember the pets that have passed on with great love and
fondness, but we don't let the sadness we feel at their passing keep us
from enjoying the companionship of our other animal friends.

Saying goodbye is always very painful, but if your pet is suffering, it
is time to let go.  If you can understand there is no death and that
your pet is going to a wonderful place and will no longer suffer any
pain, perhaps you can be happy for him or her.  I know you will miss
the comfort of their physical presence and the energy of their
personality.  The house will feel empty and lonely.  But understand
that they have not left us; they are still with us and they visit us in
their energy bodies.  We can no longer see them with our eyes or hear
their meows or barks with our ears, but we can still feel them in our
hearts.  We feel and sense their presence in our lives.  It is just
different because we are still in our physical bodies and they are in
their energy bodies.  But life does go on.

Don't hold on to your pet for selfish reasons or because you are unable
to face the reality of its passing.  Remember your pet does not fear
death.  When animals are ready they welcome the transition from this
earth place to a better place.  They are not just a physical body any
more than we are.  Like us, they have chosen to come to this dimension
to learn and they have their work to do, but unlike us, they are often
glad to leave it, particularly if their physical body has broken down.
Still, an animal will hang on to life even though his body is wracked
with pain if it knows that its human does not want it to pass over.
When your pet is very ill, it is a true act of unselfish love for you
to tell him it is okay to pass over and go.  You will be doing your pet
a great kindness if you can find the courage to do this.

If you are having trouble gathering your strength, try putting yourself
in your pet's body.  Feel his physical pain and try to understand how
it would feel if it were you in that body.  Perhaps this will help you
make the right decision in a timely and compassionate manner.

Sometimes it is all too easy to overlook your pet's needs.  You leave
the house and go to work daily, then to the cinema or a restaurant in
the evening.  You exercise at a gym and continue with the enjoyable
activities of your daily life.  We are busy and occupied and time
passes quickly.  But left alone at home, your sick pet no longer can
play ball.  He is no longer able to go for his walks.  He can't enjoy
his food.  Time goes slowly for him as time does when we ourselves are
unhappy and in pain.  If you are allowing your pet to live in pain and
suffering, ask yourself why.  Is it for the few hours or few minutes a
day you spend with him?  The rest of the time you are off pursuing your
activities, with your body fit and well and your mind occupied.  Just
remember, while you are gone, your pet is suffering alone.  His days
are long and filled with pain and loneliness.

Remember you are allowing this to happen to him.  This is not the way
to love your pet, in fact, it is unconscionable.  He may be suffering
and in pain twenty-four hours a day and you are keeping him alive and
in misery for your own pleasure or THE PET PSYCHIC 237

because of your own imaginary fears.  Do him a great kindness and let
him go.

I had one client who brought me her very old cat, who was almost twenty
and suffering from a variety of health problems.  When I connected to
the cat's energy, I discovered he was terribly eager to pass over, but
was just hanging on because his owner was so adamant about not letting
him go.  The cat was in a great deal of pain, and I sent him some
healing to relieve the pain, then decided to speak to his owner.  But
she had made up her mind the cat was going to stay no matter what.  She
was consumed by her fear of losing her cat and completely disconnected
from the suffering that her selfishness was causing the cat to
endure.

She did not realize this was what she was doing.

I continued to work with her for a few weeks, doing what I could to
help the cat, whose body was almost totally broken down.  I felt very
sorry for my client because she was not able to see past her own
feelings, but I felt even sorrier for her cat whose physical body had
failed him completely.  He was trying desperately to hang on for his
owner's sake, but he was out of his physical body more than he was
in.

He was ready to go.

Very patiently, I explained to my client that it was time for her pet
to pass over to the next dimension, and that she would be doing him a
great kindness to let him go.  I told her there was no more that I
could do for her or for her pet.  It was a decision she would have to
make.  Finally she was able to come to her senses and let her cat go,
and no sooner had she told him he could leave than the cat passed
over.

He left behind great physical suffering and went to the place of
carefree happiness he'd been longing for, but he had loved his human
companion so very much that he was determined to hang on in the
physical body as long as he could, just to keep her company.

You know if your animal is suffering, so always try to put their needs
first when you decide whether to let them go or not.  Look inside your
heart; trust your intuition and your feelings and you will not go
wrong.

But there are some animals whose time hasn't come yet.  There are many
pets that veterinarians have recommended for euthanasia that are
walking around happy and healthy because their owners believed they
could recover and refused to give up.  These are usually animals that
have suffered some sort of traumatic injury like being hit by a car or
attacked by another animal.  If you sense that your injured animal has
plenty of life left if you can just get him past the immediate crisis,
then you must fight for their lives alone with them.

Generally speaking, animals who are suffering from degenerative
conditions like diabetes or cancer are not good candidates for this
sort of miraculous recovery because as their condition advances they
just keep getting sicker and weaker.  If your pet has a progressive
disease and the vet tells you the outlook is not good, you can
certainly look into alternative forms of treatment, but you must be
especially sensitive to how your pet is feeling and be sure not to hang
on too long and cause unnecessary suffering.  The kindest thing you can
do for an animal that is suffering is to give him permission to leave
his physical body.

You are the only one who can make the decision whether or not to let
your pet go.  You must decide according to the information that is
available to you at the time and the best judnnent of the vets who are
caring for your animal.  The very best way to make such a difficult
decision is to trust your heart and your intuition, and do whatever
they tell you to do.  You will have a gut-level feeling in any case,
and following that feeling will not steer you wrong.

If you feel your pet's life should be ended, go with that THE PET

"PSYCHIC 239

feeling.  Make the decision and stick with it.  Do not berate yourself
or allow yourself to be eaten up with guilt if you must euthanize an
animal.

If you think there is a chance for recovery, go with that.  You can
always change your mind if your animal's condition deteriorates
significantly.  The important thing is to not let anyone else make this
decision for you.

Of course we all hope our pets will die naturally.  But sometimes it is
not so easy.  We have to take responsibility for our animal friends,
and sometimes, when they are lingering in pain, we have to make the
heart-wrenching decision to end their lives humanely so that we may
also end their suffering.

The question of burial is a matter of individual choice.  Some of you
will prefer to have your animal buried on your property.  Others prefer
cremation of their pet's remains so they can carry the ashes with them
in case they move.

Sometimes it is helpful to have a small passing over ceremony to help
you accept the fact that your pet is really gone.  My cat Wellington
adored frogs so I have made him a lovely little grave in my garden,
adorned with flowers and small statues of frogs.  I visit him there
every day and it has been a great comfort to me to have a quiet,
beautiful place where I can go to visit my beautiful Wellinton and he
always comes to see me in his spiritual form.

One thing I do recommend is to find a sympathetic vet who will come to
your home to put your pet to sleep in its familiar surroundings.  If
your vet will not do this, keep searching until yolz find one who
will.

It really helped me deal with Bella's passing to know that she died in
her home, surrounded by the family she loved; the family that loved her
in return.

I still see my Bella.  Often when I walk Foxy and Honey on the nearby
golf course, I can feel Bella's energy and see her running with my
dogs.  Her spirit is always present around me.  I feel it very
strongly.

Life is energy.  On a spiritual level I know that energy can never be
destroyed; it only transforms.  Einstein was quoted as saying he
believed in an afterlife for this very reason: that energy never
dies.

So I know that Bella has not truly left us; we just cannot see her
physical body except in our mind.  But I feel her, I sense and know she
is there, still running after the squirrels and the birds, running
toward the lake with Foxy and Honey and taking her morning swim.

There are times when Foxy feels Bella's presence too and knows she is
with us.  I feel my love for her and know that no one can take away
what I shared with my special friend: the happiness, the memories, the
joy and love.  My life and that of all my family has been richer
because we were able to share Bella's life.

There came a day when we were able to look forward to sharing our lives
with another Ridgeback.  One of my clients in Arizona, Anne, called to
say she would like to give me a puppy from her next litter.  While
Bella wanted to come back to me as a Ridgeback puppy, she discovered
her true place is working to help me help animals from the other
side.

Bella is very happy with the work she is doing, helping other animals
make the transition from this earth plane to the spiritual realm.  So
when my new Ridgeback puppy arrived, I sensed immediately that Ellie
was a brand-new spirit in my life and that Bella had chosen to stay on
the other side and continue her valuable work.  Since Ellie's arrival
much has happened.  We now also have Sabrina, Sammy, Sally and Daisy in
addition to Ellie, Honey and Foxy.  With the exception of Ellie, all
are rescue dogs.  I still feel Bella's presence daily and know that one
day, when the time is right, she will return to me once again in
physical form.  THE PET PSYCHIC zS-1

My friend Karen had a little kitten that passed over, and when I asked
Bella about it, Bella showed me a lovely picture of herself, swimming
across the healing waters that all animals pass through when they pass
over, with the tiny kitten resting on her back.  As soon as the kitten
was no longer frightened, Bella gently rolled it into the water and it
swam to the golden shore by itself, where angels were waiting to take
the kitten to the spiritual realm.

After animals pass over, they rest for a while, just like humans.  Then
they have a decision to make, whether or not they want to stay where
they are, or reincarnate and go back to the earth in another form to
learn more.  Occasionally, as Bella has indicated she will ultimately
do, they may choose to come back in the same form again, but that is
unusual.

I believe humans who are particularly sympathetic to animals have
inhabited a variety of animal bodies in their previous lives, so they
know the difficulties animals must go through as they make their way in
this world, and devote themselves to easing those difficulties whenever
they can.

I am unable to tell you how to make your pain go away when your pet is
no longer sharing your physical life, or how to cope with your grief.

No one else can know how you feel or cry your tears for you.  That is
an essential part of your recovery, to embrace the feelings of sorrow
that you have.  It may help to talk to people who understand about the
love you had for your animal.  The best support you can have is from
others who have worked through their own loss.  Sadly, many people do
not feel about animals as we do, so be sure to find someone who does.

Then you can pour your heart out and find some healing, comfort and
compassion.

You can't rush through grief.  As the weeks pass, you will start to get
back into your routine, but follow your own pace.  Each of us deals
with grief in our own way.  Some get on with life quicker than
others.

I can only tell you to be glad for what you have experienced and
learned from sharing your life with your animal companion.  Time does
help.  As I said before, we never entirely get over the loss ... we
just get used to living without our animals that have passed over.  The
memories are always there and no one can take that away from us; these
memories are the jewels in our lives.

When you get to a calmer and less emotional place in your grieving, you
will realize that you have experienced a wonderful, close and loving
relationship with your animal companion, and a richness and
satisfaction you may never experience in a relationship with another
human being.  The happy relationships we share with our pets are the
jewels in our lives.  All the material possessions in the world carl
not equal this joy.  Sharing love with your pet is one of life's
sublime experiences.  When human beings understand this, the planet
will be a wonderful place for us all to live.

Many of you who are reading this book have experienced the loss of a
pet.  I hope these few words help you turn your sad memories into
joyful ones.  Remember this is not the end.  Know that one day when our
time comes to journey home to the next dimension, you will be reunited
with your loving friends.  When you arrive they will be waiting to
greet you.  Both of you will be in energy form and will be able to
share the same wonderful friendship as you did in physical form.

EPILOGUE

How You Can Help Animals in Your Everyday Life hardly a day passes that
I don't see some animal that could benefit from a little human
assistance.  There are so many unwanted animals, and so many die each
year in the shelters because of overpopulation and human neI ect

As much as I love animals, I lived for years in ignorance of the
cruelty they were subject to.  In fact, when I heard stories of cruelty
to animals, I turned away.  I didn't want to hear such awful things;

they sickened me.  My eldest son, Sean James, inherited my love of
animals and went to work for the Royal Society for the Protection of
Animals, (RSPCA) in London, while still a teenager.  Though I was proud
of him, I made it clear I didn't want to hear any sad stories, for when
I listened, I couldn't get to sleep that night.  I couldn't get the
horrifying pictures of cruelty out of my mind.

This was during the time I had shut myself off from the world of animal
communication, so I was living in a sort of ignorant bliss.  I didn't
realize how important it was for people who love244 SONYA

"FITZPATRIGK

animals to support animal rights and vigorously oppose the cruel
treatment of animals for any reason.

I was working as a fashion model in England, and often had the chance
to buy the clothes I modeled at very good prices.  I fell in love with
a beautiful lynx jacket I modeled at Harvey Nickels, and bought it to
wear on a ski trip to the Alps.  I wore the jacket for three years in a
state of perfect enjoyment, completely unaware of how many animals had
sacrificed their lives for this garment.

One afternoon, I was having my tea in our drawing room.  I put on the
television and sat down to pour.  When I looked up, there was a
beautiful lynx walking gracefully across the snow.  I thought what a
magnificent creature he was.  Then, to my horror, his leg was caught in
a cruel trap which mangled his paw.  The pain must have been
excruciating.  Unable to eat, drink, or move, the lynx was trapped in
agony for four days before the hunters returned to check their traps.

He began to chew off his own leg in a desperate effort to escape.  When
the hunter finally approached the lynx, his gun aimed at the cat's
head, I could see the relief in the poor animal's eyes.  He understood
the horrendous torture would soon be over.

The full realization of how many animals had suffered for me to be able
to wear my lynx jacket hit me with the force of a thunderbolt.  Tears
streaming from my face, I took my jacket, walked into my garden, poured
lighter fluid on it, and set it on fire.  From that day forward, I have
never worn another animal pelt on my body.

That event raised my conscience concerning animal welfare, and since
then L have worked for the good of animals, a mission that has
culminated in the work I am doing today.  Now I would like to enlist
your help in the fight.

First, you must take responsibility for the animals that are in THE

PET

PSYCHIC 245

your care.  Treat them with love, kindness and respect, for they are
God's creatures and put here for us to care for, not to exploit.  Feed
them, play with them, and protect them.  Have them spayed or neutered
to keep from adding to the pet overpopulation problem.  Provide proper
veterinary care.  Give generously of your affection and attention, for
animals thrive on this.

Don't crop your dog's tail or ears, or declaw your cat.  As I explained
in the chapter on responsible pet ownership, these are cruel and
unnecessary procedures, relating more to human whim and laziness than
any need of the animal.  Cats particularly suffer with declawing.  It
would be like having your fingernails pulled out, one by one.  They are
left with no way to defend themselves and often resort to biting
instead.

If you see an animal being neglected or mistreated, have the courage to
do something about it.  You do not have to place yourself in danger.

Sometimes a phone call to the appropriate agency is enough to rescue an
animal in distress.  If you can help a neighbor who isn't able to care
for a pet but still wants their love and companionship, do so.

Take in lost and stray animals and do your best to reunite them with
their owners.  Join an animal welfare organization and volunteer your
time.  Such groups can always use extra help.

Do not support organizations which profit from animal exploitation or
cruelty, such as rodeos and circuses.  Do not buy products which use
cruel and unnecessary animal testing.  Don't wear fur.  Fake fur today
is almost indistinguishable from the real thing, so if you want the
look of fur, opt for the fabulous fake instead and save an animal from
suffering and dying in some inhumane trap.

If you are taking hormone replacement therapy or HRT, make sure your
prescription derives from a plant source.  The animal hormone is
extracted from the urine of pregnant mares that spend their
eleven-month pregnancies standing chained in tiny stalls, without even
the room to lie down.  Can you imagine never being able to lie down or
rest even once during the whole of a pregnancy?  As soon as the babies
are weaned, they are sold for meat.  Then the mares are impregnated and
chained up again and again, until they can no longer produce, at which
time they follow their babies to the slaughterhouse.

If we all take just a bit of responsibility on our own shoulders, we
could do much to reduce the suffering of animals and make this world a
better place for humans and animals alike.

Please help,

The Plight o, f New York City's Carriage Horses

In the course of my work, I often travel to New York City.  I like to
stay at a hotel that features a spectacular view of Central Park.

During my last trip, I felt surrounded by an overwhelming sense of
sadness as I stepped from the cab in front of the hotel.  I checked in
and went up to my room, puzzled by the strong emotions I had felt, and
wondered where they had come from.  I walked over to the window and
threw open the curtains to see the beautiful green park lying before
me, but my eyes were drawn by a queue of carriage horses lined up
across the street in front of the park.  As I looked at them, with
their heads down and shoulders sagging with fatigue and resignation, I
immediately knew the source of the sadness I had felt a few minutes
earlier.

It was coming from these poor horses.

Animals have generous and loving spirits and generally speaking, they
are happy to help out their human companions in any way they can.  The
whole notion of domesticating animals came about so that the animal
could in fact serve some human purpose, either for companionship or
hard work.  When we give our an-THE PET "PSYCHIC 24

imal friends tasks that are beyond their capacities, it is cruel.

Animals want to please us; they will try so hard to do what we want
that sometimes they place themselves in danger of being injured or
overworked.

When we overwork an animal day after day, year in and year out, then
they become like these very sad horses.  They are without hope of
rescue and become resigned to their lives of toil.  It is almost as if
the light has gone out in their souls, because they do not expect to
ever be treated with kindness, love or compassion.  As I looked upon
the horses standing dejectedly in the street, I felt their sadness and
exhaustion.  They told me that they worked all day long without
stopping, often in bitter cold or extreme heat, pulling carriages with
as many as five people plus the driver, sometimes a thousand pounds or
more!  When you consider that a racehorse may carry no more than a
total of 125 to 130 pounds, you will begin to understand how very hard
the load is that carriage horses are expected to pull.  The vendors
feed the horses from buckets and water is available but they do not
have the opportunity of grazing on grass.  When they finally get home
at night, they are wedged into tiny four-by-ten foot stalls, with no
room to lie down or even turn around.  So after a long day of toil,
they are not able to get a proper rest before they have to start out
all over again.

After making inquiries, I learned that the stables in New York City
that house carriage horses are more than a hundred years old and have
no sprinkler system or any other fire safety equipment.  In fact, they
are little more than crumbling wooden buildings.  It surely must be
possible to create a situation where both the working and living
conditions of these horses can be vastly improved while at the same
time allowing the vendors an opportunity to earn a living.

I determined I had to do something to help these horses.  The

New York City SPCA sent out enforcement officers who discovered that it
was too hot for the horses to work on that sweltering summer afternoon,
so they were sent back to the stables until evening came with its
cooler temperatures.  While I felt good about getting a break for that
particular group of horses, I knew that something more had to be done
to truly solve the problem for good.  I found that the New York chapter
of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(ASPCA) has embarked upon a campaign to get new and more humane
regulations passed to govern the carriage horses' working hours and
conditions.  Current law allows horses to work up to nine hours a day,
seven days a week, in temperatures up to ninety degl-ees Fahrenheit and
as low as eighteen degrees Fahrenheit.  No provision is made for
humidity or wind-chill factors and the effect they might have on the
horse's condition, nor are there any requirements about providing
regular veterinary care.  In short, these animals' lives are
miserable.

They are forced to pull heavy carriages on concrete streets,
bumper-to-bumper around the perimeter of Central Park, breathing in
exhaust fumes, with little or no chance to rest during the course of
their day.  Most of the passengers are unconcerned or unaware about the
deplorable conditions under which these horses work.  If they were
aware, I'm sure people would take a very different view and perhaps
even decide against taking a carriage ride to show their sympathy for
the horses.

The ASPCA has suggested new laws that would limit horses to working
eight hours daily, with a one-hour break near midday.  Current law
allows a nine-hour workday with no midday break.  Minimum stall sizes
would be increased to ten-by-ten feet and that would allow a horse to
lie down.

The current ten-by-four stall size forces a horse to remain standing.

The new law also requires fan ventilation, automatic sprinklers and
fire extinguish-THE PET PSYCHIC 249

ers to be provided in stalls; currently they are not required.

Finally, temperature limits would be lowered to eighty-eight degrees
Fahrenheit from ninety degrees Fahrenheit and humidity variations would
be taken into account to determine if the horses may work or not.

Winter temperatures may be no lower than twenty degrees instead of the
current eighteen degrees with wind-chill variations taken into
consideration to calculate the temperature.  Llnder current law,
wind-chill variations are not considered.

These proposed new regulations are definitely a step in the right
direction, but I want us to do more.  I would like to see the people of
the City of New York band together to create a plan that would provide
more humane working conditions for carriage horses.  If the city built
a stable in a corner of Central Park, then all the carriage horses
could be housed there and turned out at night to frolic, graze,
socialize with other horses and exercise, as horses were meant to do.

The individual stalls would be large enough to allow the horse to lie
down and rest at night, instead of being forced to sleep standing up as
most now do and living under the deplorable conditions that exist
today.  The carriage routes should be limited to streets within the
park, to avoid exposing the horses to excessive traffic, noise and
pollution.  The city could charge the owners of the horses a fair rent
for the stables, thus helping to recoup the cost of building the
facility while keeping the carriage business an economically feasible
way to make a living.  Centralizing the carriage horses into one
facility in Central Park would do many things.  It would simplify the
policing and regulation of the carriage horse trade, it would vastly
improve conditions for the carriage horses themselves, and also for the
patrons who enjoy carriage rides.  Finally, it would eliminate the
hazard of having a slow-moving, horse drawn carriage stuck in a traffic
jam in the middle of the city.

If you are a resident of New York City, you can help the ASPCA in their
campaign to pass laws providing more humane working conditions for the
carriage _horses.  Simply visit the ASPCA's web page at
http:llwww.aspca.orglsitelPageServer?  pagename=lobby campaigns
nyccarria8ehorses and click on the blue "Take Action Now!"  button to
let Mayor Bloomberg and other top NYC government officials know you
support more humane treatment of carriage horses.  Together, we can
ensure that the carriage horses of New York City have better living
conditions and are treated more humanely.

