Why are pet psychics on the rise?
More Canadians spending to have psychics read pets' minds
When Athena D'Amato decided to book an appointment for her Aussiedoodle, Broui, to see an animal communicator, it was supposed to be a fun activity for her husband and dog to do together.
But after the session in 2022, the Toronto resident said she realized the animal communicator — otherwise known as a pet psychic — had much more to offer.
"She knew things about our family she never could have known. And she gave us some advice that has continued to help Broui's anxiety."
D'Amato said pet psychic Angel Morgan told her that it really bothered Broui when they left him alone at home without telling him where they were going, and that he needed to know how long they would be gone.
"Now we go back to see Angel as part of Broui's wellness regime."
D'Amato is not alone in this. While it all may be hard for some to believe, there seems to be increasing demand for pet psychic services across Canada and the United States, even with rates as high as $500 for a house call and sometimes months-long waitlists.
In a world where people can now take their pets to luxury spas that offer services such as facials, buy them designer clothing and even hire party planners for pet birthdays, maybe pet psychics are a natural next step.
Some who offer the service say people are willing to pay up for insight into their pet's mind — from understanding their anxious thoughts to figuring out their preferred kibble.
Animal communicators claim they have the ability to communicate with any animal, alive or deceased. Some psychics say their business is booming.
"I honestly can't keep up with the demand," said Meg Vickell, who has been offering the service, mostly online, for the past seven years. She is also available for house calls within the Greater Toronto Area, but those can cost as much as $500.
'Really fast-growing'
Vickell said her business — which includes Canadians and U.S. residents — has tripled in the past 18 months. As the practice grows more popular, she said more pet psychics are entering the scene.
"It's been really fast-growing and I can't say why. I think a lot of communicators across North America are stepping up and stepping out."
Vickell is also training other communicators to help find their place in the budding industry and to help with her own workload.
"People really appreciate being able to connect with their pets on a deeper level more often these days and now they are learning that they can do it."
Vickell said she can help with communication between people and their pets, whether they are alive or dead.
"Many people want help connecting with animals that have passed or who are passing."
Vickell, who used to work in marketing and communications, said she moved into animal communication about seven years ago after another psychic told her she had the ability to communicate with animals.
"She said you actually have an ability to experience animals in a way that most people don't."
Morgan has clients in Canada and elsewhere, including in Mexico and the U.S.
Like Vickell, Morgan claims she can communicate with any animal. Her clients have pets ranging from cats and birds to chickens and horses. Some people come to her in connection with pets that have died.
"Business is absolutely on the upswing," said Morgan, who occasionally works out of a shop called The Hedge Witch in East Gwillimbury, north of Toronto.
"I think as more people find out this exists, the more people are seeking it out."
'Part of our family'
For D'Amato, time with the pet psychic is about her dog's overall health.
"He is part of our family. Doing this is a checkup, just like you would do with a veterinarian. Since we can't understand what [Broui] is saying, these sessions are helpful," D'Amato said.
"She's not predicting my future or my dog's future, but she is communicating with Broui on a level that I cannot."
It is especially helpful when it comes to what types of food to feed him, D'Amato said.
But beyond that, what might have once caused some judgment seems for some to be less the case.
D'Amato has referred several friends who are now also clients of Morgan's.
A country of believers?
According to a study done by Pollara Strategic Insights, more than half of Canadians say they believe psychic abilities could be real and 28 per cent believe psychics can predict the future. A Pew research study found more than 60 per cent of American adults have at least one New Age belief.
Aside from that, what Canadians are willing to spend on their pets continues to shoot up.
According to a study done by Statista, Canadians spent more than $7 billion in 2019 on their furry friends, up 17 per cent from 2015.
Some animal experts also believe that in a post-pandemic era, people are more interested in deeper connections with their pets, as well as treating them more like humans.
"We are more and more beginning to look at our pets as if they are not only members of the family, but as if they were children," said Stanley Coren, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia.
"One of the major breakthroughs in the relationship with your kids is when they start to talk, and so [people] want that kind of communication [with their pets]. And even when their dogs can't talk, they will say things like: 'Do you love mommy? I know you do.' If the dog waves his tail, you feel good. People want that."
But Coren also warns not to expect much from any communication with any animal — science tells us dogs have the mental capacity of a toddler.
Some of Morgan's clientele told CBC News it has been reassuring to visit with her and that some revelations have been profound about their animals, past and present.
"I've had animals tell me that their mom isn't taking her medication. A long time ago, I had a bird tell me that their young owner was having really dark thoughts and it opened up a conversation with that family that was huge," Morgan said.
While there may be a rise in popularity, critics say the sales pitch isn't new.
"This is like selling snake oil. It's a story as old as time. Psychics aren't new and they also aren't real," Kenny Biddle, a paranormal investigator at the Centre for Inquiry in Amherst, N.Y., said.
"There is no communication happening," he said. "They are just taking your money."
Part of Biddle's work has included investigating tactics used by psychics on television, at psychic events and through online services.
"Any kind of paranormal claim, I will look into it and see if it's real. That's what I do," he said.
He's a skeptic now, but Biddle said he was once a believer.
"I'd love to believe psychics were real. I really would. But in my work, I have yet to find a single claim that has convinced me it is."
Both Vickell and Morgan said they aren't worried about non-believers.
"I'm not here to debunk skeptics," Vickell said. "I have far too much work on my plate to go around, and the reason I keep doing it is because people keep coming."
Vickell said she was once a skeptic herself.
"I didn't even believe in it myself. But when you start helping people and you start like really moving people and you help people heal, like how can you not?"
At a recent followup with Morgan, D'Amato asked about Broui's possible concerns regarding the baby she and her husband are expecting.
"She told me that he is going to be the baby's protector and that I don't need to worry, and that really gave me peace of mind," D'Amato said.
"If we can help him like this, why wouldn't we do it?"
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With files from Ioanna Roumeliotis