/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25806329/Screenshot_2024_12_26_at_5.43.25_PM.jpeg "Hertz is asking EV renters if they want to keep it, permanently")
Jenn Kirsch and her dog Gary.Jenn Kirsch
In July, 2023, I fostered and fell in love with Gary, a half-chihuahua street dog from Texas, adopting him almost immediately. As a first-time dog mom, I unlocked a new persona and identity, and my life suddenly revolved around him.
In the hopes that I could find out about his past, whether he’s happy and how I could be a better pet parent, I decided to hire a pet psychic. I often bring Gary out with me and wanted insight into whether he’d prefer to be at home. I also wondered why he seems horrified when I’m on my treadmill.
I booked a 45-minute session with animal communicator Meg Vickell, who goes by Modern Day Doolittle, for a cool $165. Her waitlist is roughly a month long, though she facilitates emergency readings (at a premium rate of $180) for various concerns such as end-of-life care or ailing pets. The day before our session, I filled out an intake form. She also requested an image of Gary in advance.
Now, I realize this will sound ridiculous to many people – both believing in the idea of a pet psychic and dropping that amount of money on an animal. But in both regards, I’m far from alone.
My decision to spend the extra cash on Gary is in line with current trends. In 2023, Canadians spent $13-billion on their pets, according to the Canadian Animal Health Institute. And TikTok has seen a growth of pet psychics on the platform, with the hashtag #PetPsychic currently at 9.8 thousand total posts, a 23-per-cent increase from last year.
Worst-case scenario, I figured, I’d get a good story out of it.
Still, before logging on, I reached out to Susan G. Friedman, an applied animal behaviourist and professor emeritus in the department of psychology at Utah State University, for some science-based insights.
Though she’s not for or against readings, Friedman says we can learn more about our animals simply by watching them.
“We have this bias that words tell us things, but behaviour is really rich with communication,” she explains. For example, Gary’s whimpers are actually him singing in excitement, since his tail is up and wagging while he makes the sounds – a fact I learned through chatting with Freidman.
When it finally came time for my appointment with Vickell, I was slightly hesitant. Would I find out Gary had a horrific past? Or that I had done something to disappoint him? Before my thoughts could spiral any further, she appeared on screen and recited an intention to help ease my nerves and excitement. As I heard her voice, I lit a candle and decided to lean into the reading, being present for anything that came up.
Vickell explained that she uses the photo to pick up the animal’s energy signature, which she described is as unique as a fingerprint. “Once my eyes are closed, I’m off to the races and it’s just me and the animal connecting in my mind’s eye,” she said.
Within minutes, she remarked that Gary possesses a strong, feminine energy. “He is a gift for you to come into your motherhood of nurturance, to be that divine mother as his primary caregiver.” Her eyes were closed, fortunately, which meant she was unable to see the tears streaming down my face.
“It does feel like your relationship with your mother is something that continues to heal. And he is here like a gift,” Vickell continued, as my sobs became deeper.
My mother died when I was 18, and I’ve always feared motherhood, knowing life can be robbed from us at any moment. Gary grounded me in a way I never could have imagined, and he’s not only brought out an innately nurturing, maternal side in me, but he’s taught me to be present with others, more than any other time in my life.
It should be noted that I made no mention of losses or any other personal details of my life on my intake form, which asked only my pet’s name, about any other caregivers and whether I had any specific questions.
“He keeps telling me you can’t do it wrong – so have more confidence,” Vickell said. “He’s here to fill up your cup.”
As the session continued, I gained a deeper understanding of Gary and his own fears.
Vickell shared his apprehension about a run-in we’d had on a rural path with an off-leash husky that lunged at him – an incident that I had never spoken about with anyone.
When I enquired what his issue is when I’m on the treadmill, she said that the running motor isn’t something he’s used to, so he’s worried for me while I’m on the machine. However, she added, because he senses how good and grounded I feel when I’m done, it mitigates his stress and he shakes it off – that is, until I go back on the next day.
She then asked me whether Gary has been itchy, specifying his ear cavity and also sometimes the side of his neck and body. I replied that I have noticed him scratching, often when I’m working out. I thought it was his way of catching my attention to tell me he’s anxious, but Vickell said dander and dust could be irritating him.
As Vickell informed me that our session was about to wrap, I felt an overwhelming sense of connection with Gary, who was by my side and visible to her on our call. “I witnessed the deepening of your bond in real time, it was beautiful. Thank you for letting me facilitate that for you,” she wrote to me after in an e-mail.
I had immense gratitude for the process, but I wanted to better understand why something as absurd sounding as a pet psychic could have such an impact on a person.
Jenn Kirsch often brings Gary out with her and wanted insight into whether he’d prefer to be at home.Jenn Kirsch
I reached out to Stanley Coren, a professor emeritus in the psychology department at the University of British Columbia who specializes in dog behaviour and human-canine interactions.
“Because dogs are no longer dogs to a lot of people,” he said. “There is evidence that shows that somewhere in the vicinity of 70 per cent or more of people who own dogs consider the dog to be part of the family.”
And now that we’re pet parents instead of pet owners, we have more questions and concerns. “If something is wrong with a family member, there are a variety of things you can do. And if your dog isn’t sick, you can’t take them to a vet, so you’re looking around trying to find somebody who can give you some additional information.”
Reassuringly, Coren added: “I don’t think it means people who are engaging in this sort of thing are particularly gullible. It simply means there’s this living beastie in your house that you consider to be a member of your family and you want to do right by them.”
After my session, I vacuumed the often-neglected home gym – and I’m happy to report Gary is scratching less. I also now make sure to give him a new bully stick before I exercise, to help his anxious mind.
But more importantly, the connection I experienced with Vickell’s help, coupled with the clarity I received from Coren, helped me close a loop that the early passing of my mom left open. Am I fit to be a good mom? The answer is yes. Gary is my life’s greatest gift and caring for him has brought out a maternal side I never knew I had in me. The whole experience showed me that I currently am the great mom I wondered whether I’d ever be – regardless of what anyone else thinks or believes when it comes to animal communicators.
