What Sort of Questions Do People Ask ?

As with all human interactions, the topics people wish to explore cover a vast range. Here are some recurring topics.

Health

When confronted by their animal companion's serious illness or injury, some people have asked me to find out whether their animal friend wants to continue living. Is he feeling pain, can they help her feel better? I've had some animals say they were going to pull through and some say they were ready to leave. I've checked in with animals recuperating from injuries to determine the progress of their recovery. What still hurts?

Behavior

Now here's a hot topic. What to do about that unwanted, untimely, ill-placed elimination? I've helped exasperated owners find out why such an unlovely package was deposited in such an undesirable place. Once we tracked down the why, they could fashion a solution that would work for both human and animal. Sometimes, an animal seems too shy or too aggressive. His person wants to understand why. Is it something that they can work on together to change? Is it a basic personality trait that will be key in determining what role this animal will play in breeding or training?

Well-Being

Virtually all the people who have asked me to communicate with their animal companions have asked "Is he/she happy?" and "Is there anything I can do to make his/her life better? (Yes, most animals have answered positively. The exceptions? Some "lost" animals who've decided it's time to move on.) Some have asked their animal companions whether she/he enjoyed the particular discipline they participated in, such as dressage or search and rescue work. Other people with young animals have asked what activities they might prefer to pursue with their human such as agility competitions, showing, or therapy work.

Relationships

Some people really want to understand the dynamics of their multi-animal household. Who likes whom - why do these two fight? Others find it especially helpful to ask their animals whether adding another animal to their family is an acceptable, and more importantly, a workable idea.

Changes

People going on a trip have asked me to explain to their animals why they are leaving and how long they'd be gone. Some rescue organizations have asked that I check in with some potential adoptees to see how they felt about the people who wanted to adopt them. Other have asked that I discuss a working animal's impending career change to ease the transition.