This rather long title was necessary to introduce the next ‘experience’ I heard from a veterinarian with decades of clinical practice.
Several weeks ago I was invited to do a book ‘party’ at the home of close friends. Among the group was a veterinarian I’ll call Joe. I had never met him but he was well known in the community and very well respected for his kindness and expertise in treating animals.
Afterwards he related to me an experience he had quite a few years before. He would ‘board’ dogs for a time until their owners could come for them. One night he got a call from his assistant that one of the dogs seemed in some extreme distress–it was making a frightening howl which seemed rather unusual. Dr Joe arrived and was amazed at the bizzare sound the dog was making. He was very familiar with dog barks and howls but had heard nothing quite so pitiful and distressing. He quickly eliminated any physical problems with the animal.
The next morning the phone rang. It was a member of the owner’s family. They asked Dr Joe to hold on to the dog for a while. The owner, it seemed, had died the night before, suddenly. And it was at the precise time that the time dog began to howl.
Those of us who heard this story were rather stunned by it. Dr Joe proceeded to state that he has subsequently heard the same type of howl three times–and each time it has signaled the death of the owner.
Should any of us be surprised? Not really. Those who have or who have had pets understand their feelings of love for their animal. We assume that our pets love us as well. They clearly express this in their own way.
Dr Joe’s experiences demonstrate the depth of those feelings as well as the ability of animals to perceive information that most of us cannot.
Of course there are numerous examples of human beings having had the same type of experiences.
Please note that I use the term ‘paranormal’ in quotes. I am still not certain what that term means. It is term which many associate immediately dismiss as unreal, unscientific and therefore untrue. This is why I have tended to substitute the phrase ‘extraordinary experience of awareness–EEA’ because these perceptions may not be ‘paranormal’–only rare and precious.
We can clearly learn many lessons from our pets–loyalty, companionship, cooperation, caring. Perhaps we can learn also learn about the metaphysical truth about the nature of reality–the interconnectedness of all of us–and the power of love.