July 2014

When I think about the amount of animals that are sitting in shelters, or worse, have been euthanized because they didn't "fit in", it makes me feel sad and helpless. Every day I read an unsettling rant on Facebook, usually by some exhausted foster or perhaps a person that works or volunteers in a rescue. It is met by an angry chorus that cheers or jeers on about the stupid human. The rescue worker or volunteer hit a breaking point, and because they are fire hosing us with the information, we can hardly see a solution underneath the hatred. 

I don't claim to have all the answers as to what would keep animals in their forever home, but I do have one idea. Sometimes we just need to "repurpose" our animals jobs. 

I made this little video to explain how sometimes, we just need to switch it up and change their jobs! I don't mean that your cat will suddenly start driving for UPS or your dog will be the controller at Boeing. I mean, what if we just adjusted their jobs or purposes a bit. 

Everyone needs purpose. This little video offers some ideas for simple adjustments in the home. Like what if your dog is missing out on being the entertainer? I have the video below and even further below, I have a small excerpt from my book, Communication with all Life, Revelations of an Animal Communicator (Hay House) to give you more ideas!

Watch: Purpose and Jobs for Animals

Job Descriptions and Titles 

A job description or a title that oversees an animal's essence can bring about stability or nobility faster than anything else. It aids in giving them a sense of purpose. It's like recognizing their soul's intention or co-creating a new intention with them. We all do better when we sit down and create a mission statement or have an intention for something. Job descriptions or job titles are flexible. This week the grieving dog may need to go back to being the jokester again, or the wild one of the household may need to manage the living room while you are gone instead of destroying furniture. 

Job descriptions can be a creative endeavor. Archetypal titles like Clown, Entertainer, Sentry, Overseer of All, Queen, King, Hero, The Takeover Artist, ad infinitum. Giving them a title that is contrary to the behavior they are exhibiting is a powerful tool. For example, helping a timid cat come out from under the bed by saying under the bed, "I need a sentry here;" "I need a mascot here;" or "I need a hero here." 

Even the shyest creature has a hero somewhere inside. Even the most aggressive creature has a softie somewhere in there. Job descriptions can be used to develop the hidden part of them that you know is in there. 

Many a client has had that shy cat come out of its shell with that simple technique. Others have quelled the fear in their timid dog. On the opposite end of that, I have a horse, Rollie, who when I first got him, was a tough guy. Deep down though he was really a mama's boy. That title worked for a while to get him out of his bad boy routine. For the first year it was great to have him depend on me, but when a horse 17 hands high tries to get in your right hand pocket because he is afraid of the wind, you have a problem. It's even worse when your right hand pocket is in your pants that you are wearing on his back. He got a more appropriate title, I call him my Knight in Shining Amour. It worked like a charm. When we're riding we're Fred and Ginger-a dance team-but on the ground he's the valiant Knight.

That story was from the year 2003/2004, and was in my book. Ten years later, I often sneak out and have lunch with my horse Rollie. He's still my dance partner and that one repurposing job change!