THE SOULS OF ANIMALS

Do animals have souls? Well it is my belief that they most certainly do. If we accept, as we surely must, that each dog or cat differs from other dogs and cats and is a unique living entity, then it must follow that these creatures have a soul. Were this not the case then each British Bulldog would behave exactly like all others of its breed. Which is, quite clearly, nonsense. Animals live and learn during their lifetimes, they act and react to their environments and their experiences. They have emotions and they have memories. Anyone who has owned a dog or a cat will know that they are sentient creatures. They think, therefore they are possessed of a psyche or, to put it in other terms, a soul.

It can be argued that the psyche of a dog is different from the psyche of a human being,  but only in so much as one might argue that in a corporeal sense. I believe all living things are a part of the unseen collective consciousness of the universe. Our human souls are simply hosted by a different physical body than the souls of the creatures that we call animals. But we too are animals, human animals, Homo sapiens. The physical difference between a man and a monkey, in genetic terms, is generally agreed as being no more than one percent.

However that 1% puts us in control, or does it? Perhaps we are assuming too much when we consider ourselves to be the dominant species on the planet. Mankind is still evolving, whilst cockroaches have remained unchanged in hundreds of millions of years. These insects share our food for free, live in our homes without rent and visit even the most palatial of hotels at will and without a gold card. At the risk of seeming facetious, they can't be totally stupid, can they?

Many pet owners will tell you that their dog, cat or whatever is tuned in to them. Often we hear people say; 'I'm sure he/she knows every word I say'. In my book 'Psychic Pets' I gave numerous true accounts of animals that had displayed seemingly paranormal powers to help and comfort human beings. Recently I received a letter from a Mrs. R.A. Henderson of Stafford in which she told me that one of her pet dogs returned to her from beyond the grave with a message of love. As Spiritualists we accept the truth of communication from the spirit world, why should we deny that animals can and do return, bringing with them joy and hope of life eternal. Let me tell you Mrs. Henderson's incredible story. She owned two pet dogs, Timmy and Sally. Timmy passed to spirit and Mrs. H. was left to share her life with little Sally.

Sally was a black and tan long haired standard daschund and Mrs. H. owned her for twelve years. They were really close friends, especially since the passing of Timmy, and Sally seemed able to read her owners thoughts.They were as close as a dog and a human being could be. Then, one unfortunate day shortly after Sally's 12th birthday, she escaped through a hole in the garden fence and was knocked down by a car. Sally died in Mrs. Henderson's arms. That very evening she was laid to rest in a quiet grave dug in a far corner of the garden in which she had played.

Mrs. Henderson was deeply saddened by the loss of her friend. They had shared so much love together. That night she could hardly rest, let alone sleep. So, sitting in her easy chair she took a sleeping pill. Then still restless and unable to sleep, she took another. That did the trick. It was about 5 a.m. when Mrs. H. woke, there was something pushing against her leg, a furry something was rubbing itself along her shin. Looking down Mrs. H. saw it was Timmy, or rather the spirit of her old dog Timmy who had passed to the next life some time before. As Mrs. H. stared in amazement at the materialised dog she received a form of communication. It was as though Timmy had returned to tell his former owner not to worry, he was looking after Sally in the world beyond. A sense of joy flooded through Mrs. Henderson as she realised that her friend was safe in his new home.

In my new book 'Animals Make You Feel Better' I have taken a slightly different look at the way members of the animal kingdom have consciously acted to the benefit of their human friends. Many readers will have heard of the healing powers of dolphins. But did you know that the first medically verified case of a human being being healed by a dolphin was here in the UK. I interviewed Professor Dr. Horace Dobbs of International Dolphin Watch and he told me the incredible story of a man called Bill Bowell.

Bill had been employed by the same bakery firm for years, he thought himself a trusted employee. Then one day some money went missing and the police arrested Bill. He had not taken the money, but the police refused to believe him. The experience he underwent in the cells at the police station destroyed Bill Bowell as a man. He went into terrible depression and could not climb out of the black hole his sub-concious mind had dug for him to exist in. Even when the police dropped the charges and arrested the real thief it made no difference. Bill was locked into that dark police cell forever, or so it seemed.

Years passed and Bill was unable to work. Clinical depression is an awful thing. Like living life alone in a closed room. Then, one summer afternoon, Dr. Dobbs took Bill out to sea in a boat to swim with a dolphin called Simo. The experience of swimming with that dolphin changed Bill's life. He told me Simo seemed able to open his mind to the joy of living and had brought him back to life. The facts of this case are a matter of medical record. In my book 'Animals Make You Feel Better' I tell the full story of Bill Bowell and many other true stories that prove to me that not only do animals have souls, they have emotions and feelings very similar to our own. Those readers who own pets probably know this already.