Ethos

I believe our animal companions are so much more than pets.

We share a spiritual connection that, when we cultivate it, can help us go to depths we never imagined. Once we open to this possibility, our relationships transform, we heal deeply, and we can reach a level of mutual understanding and support that we never thought possible—one that we can explore even after they cross the rainbow bridge.

I believe that we’re connected to everything.

So many oppressive systems, practices, and beliefs have taken us further and further away from each other, animals, and the natural world—so far that many of us feel like we’re actually separate from it all. But it’s just not true. Although we are our own sovereign beings, we are not separate from animals, the Earth, or each other. Nurturing our connection is an act of resistance and liberation that will ultimately help us build a better future together.

I believe that communicating with animals is every person’s birthright.

Within ourselves is everything we need to communicate with animals and the rest of the natural world. We often just need to do a bit of work to uncover it and trust it. I believe that doing this work is also an act of resistance against oppression, since colonialism, imperialism, capitalism, and other harmful systems have played a major role in distancing us from these abilities.

I believe that non-human beings can be some of our greatest teachers.

We’re never done learning. And we can learn so much about living, dying, and just being from animals, plants, and the spirit world if we remain open to their teachings. All it takes is our willingness to be present, listen deeply, and trust what we receive.

I acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded Lenape and Canarsie land, called Lenapehoking.

I honor the people who are native to this land and bow to their past, present, and future contributions. (If you don’t know whose land you’re on, I invite you to visit native-land.ca to find out.) I also acknowledge that for many indigenous people around the world, communicating with nature always has been and still continues to be a way of life. This way of life has been and continues to be threatened by oppressors of many kinds. I hold the complexity that as a white person living in the so-called U.S., some of my ancestors have participated in the erasure, theft, and oppression of indigenous people and ways.

Ethics

I uphold the Code of Ethics for Interspecies Telepathic Communicators created in 1990 by Penelope Smith, who is considered by many to be a founding pioneer of professional animal communication. You can read it below:

Our motivation is compassion for all beings and a desire to help all species understand each other better, particularly to help restore the lost human ability to freely and directly communicate with other species.

We honor those that come to us for help, not judging, condemning, or invalidating them for their mistakes or misunderstanding but honoring their desire for change and harmony.

We know that to keep this work as pure and harmonious as possible requires that we continually grow spiritually. We realize that telepathic communication can be clouded or overlaid by our own unfulfilled emotions, critical judgments, or lack of love for self and others. We walk in humility, willing to recognize and clear up our own errors in understanding others’ communication (human and non-human alike).

We cultivate knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of human, non-human, and interspecies behavior and relationships, to increase the good results of our work. We get whatever education and/or personal help we need to do our work effectively, with compassion, respect, joy, and harmony.

We seek to draw out the best in everyone and increase understanding toward mutual resolution of problems. We go only where we are asked to help, so that others are receptive and we truly can help. We respect the feelings and ideas of others and work for interspecies understanding, not pitting one side against another but walking with compassion for all. We acknowledge the things that we cannot change and continue where our work can be most effective.

We respect the privacy of people and animal companions we work with, and honor their desire for confidentiality.

While doing our best to help, we allow others their own dignity and help them to help their animal companions. We cultivate understanding and ability in others, rather than dependence on our ability. We offer people ways to be involved in understanding and growth with their fellow beings of other species.

We acknowledge our limitations, seeking help from other professionals as needed. It is not our job to name and treat diseases, and we refer people to veterinarians for diagnosis of physical illness. We may relay animals’ ideas, feelings, pains, symptoms, as they describe them or as we feel or perceive them, and this may be helpful to veterinary health professionals. We may also assist through handling of stresses, counseling, and other gentle healing methods. We let clients decide for themselves how to work with healing their animal companions’ distress, disease, or injury, given all the information available.

The goal of any consultation, lecture, workshop, or interspecies experience is more communication, balance, compassion, understanding, and communion among all beings. We follow our heart, honoring the spirit and life of all beings as One.

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