When owning a pet, somewhere along the way they cease to be a mere animal companion and in most cases become a member of the family.  The closer our relationship with them gets, the more we empathize with them, get to know their subtleties, and they ours.  A familiar bond is eventually formed that ties two inherently different beings together.  Many would dismiss this as a simple case of a subservient species being dominated by a superior one, and others would even go so far to say that there is a genuine communication, a mental dialogue that goes on between the two.  A link forged in body language, descriptive sounds and a  nebulous connection that can’t be described in any other way except “we just know what the other is saying.”

It’s no secret that animals have their own personalities, the question is, “are they as advanced or complex as ours?”  Well, what exactly makes a personality complex?  If all we’re basing that description off of is the ability to foster and respond to a myriad of different emotions and outside stimuli, then they are just as complex as a human.  “Humans have the ability to rationalize and process thoughts on a higher level” is a popular argument, and it’s probably one that can’t be denied, if you railroad yourself into thinking that way.  Our brains are no doubt better at analyzing decisions, multiple threads of communication and logic, but that is merely one facet of the thousands of ways to interact with your surroundings. 

How does a dog inherently know that danger is around?  How can migratory birds, despite their never having any knowledge of a map, know where to go during the colder months?  How is it that something as tiny as ants or bees can work in tandem to create an advanced work system that was, if followed by humans, more efficient than anything we use now?   Yes, it’s true that we are more advanced, and our grasp on technology and rise through the evolutionary chart has placed us at the top of the food chain - but we would be foolish to think that animals do not still have an entirely fresh perspective on the world, one that perhaps may be more in tune with the world at large than our own. 

I suppose that the point I am trying to make here is that our connection with our pets, and our love (or interest at the very least) of animals in general lies deeper than we think.  Of course, there is nothing to beat the loyalty of a canine companion, or the entertaining pomp and circumstance that most cats exude, but is there more than meets the eye when it comes to our bonds with these animals?  I would wager that a lot of the things we deem ’spiritual’ or ‘paranormal’ are simply us as humans having a fleeting glimpse into the world as animals see it.  Now, I’m not dismissing the belief in spirit by any means -  in fact, I’m proposing that perhaps animals have a different (if not less-tainted) connection with the spirit world (or whatever you choose to subscribe to).  We’ve become so adept at our own view of the world that anything foreign is either dismissed, feared or rationalized.  We are, after all, animals ourselves!  Everyone seems to forget that.

Our owning a pet is a need to be closer to nature, in my opinion, domesticated or not.  The most ironic thing is that as far as our advances have brought us, there are these variables within the animal world that we can’t see, touch, smell or experience.  We as humans simply don’t have the capacity, or we have evolved and been conditioned to a certain way of thinking that when the forementioned experience does actually occur, we aren’t smart or attuned enough to recognize it.  I personally have a strong belief in the latter.   

The outlook was not lost on ancient religions, many of which revered and respected animals for their contribution to the world.  The Druids, Egyptians, Native Americans, Mayans - all of them and more saw that the species could learn from one another, despite the more evolved human mind.  It was a humility that many people don’t practice today as we’re bred to grow our egos over our intelligence.  If that sounds a little harsh, well, it was actually a little difficult to write.  It took a few minutes for me to digest it and then finally decide to leave it in.  It’s true, unfortunately. 

Of course this is much too broad of a topic to discuss in one post, but it’s something to think about.  I plan on posting other topics regarding specific experiences, religions, and sciences dealing with our communication with the animal world.  I’d love to hear of any stories you have pertaining to the subject and look forward to writing about it in greater detail!  

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