Getting in touch with your pet

Pet psychic Anni Germani talks to one of the dogs at an adopt-a-thon at Pet Supplies Plus on West Central Avenue.

Hires / Blade

Pet psychic Bryan Flournoy listens to what Nikki, a therapy dog, has to say as Mary Moser, right, Nikki s owner, observes.

Some pet owners would do anything to get inside their

pet s head.

Of course, when little Fido or Fluffy starts eating rocks or chases its own tail, that could be a dangerous place to go.

But for the truly adventurous or desperate there are people like Anni Germani.

I tune into animals and people s vibrations, said the self-proclaimed pet psychic from Monroe. I can tell you what kind of mood that they re in. I can tell you if an animal is happy, if an animal is sad. I can tell you if they re ill.

Psychics aren t just for humans anymore. Some cater more to people wondering why their pet won t eat his food or why she insists on chewing the leg of the couch.

The cable television channel Animal Planet had a program featuring an animal communicator for a couple of years, and now pet psychics are popping up more and more at local events and fund-raisers for organizations associated with animals.

The point for event organizers isn t whether visitors believe in pet psychic powers, just that they have somefun.

A lot of people take it with a grain of salt and others think it s very valid, said Mary Helen Darah, director of special events for the Toledo Area Humane Society, which had a pet psychic at its annual Great American Mutt Show in late February.

It s fun, she said. He connects with your dog, and people seem to really enjoy his talents.

Jenny Wilson, co-director of the local dog rescue group All Rover s Rescue Friends, said some people see a pet psychic after they ve exhausted their other options, visiting a vet or trainer without luck.

A few months ago her group started featuring Ms. Germani at adopt-a-thons and fund-raisers. They try to limit visitors to two questions, but, well ...

People tend to get carried away, Mrs. Wilson said.

They ask about all kinds of things including whether all dogs really do go to heaven.

People like to know about their pets who have passed over, so I will let them know how their pets are, said Ms. Germani, 58, who also works in higher education.

Pet psychic Anni Germani talks to one of the dogs at an adopt-a-thon at Pet Supplies Plus on West Central Avenue.

Bryan Flournoy, a West Toledo pharmacist of 15 years who got interested in animal communications, usually charges a dollar a minute for his services, which he offers over the phone or in person.

Distance has no signifi cant impact on the quality or the quantity of information exchanged, he said. I believe animals communicate, not through words but mutual conveyance of thought and emotions.

Laurie Pfaff, director of the veterinary technology program at Stautzenberger College in South Toledo, wasn t sure what to expect when an animal psychic was called in about a year ago to help find a cat that had been missing for two days.

Initially, I thought some strange lady was going to come through here with a weird dress and some weird-colored hair, she said. She was basically a normal-looking individual.

The woman helped find the cat by describing what the cat was seeing.

She said, I see white lab coats hanging. She could see

green or blue boxes or baskets in the vicinity.

So Mrs. Pfaff went to where her lab coat was hanging, where

green and blue litter pans were sitting on cages. She moved

one of the cages on wheels and found the cat underneath.

Some people, such as Kelly Garza, said they ve had less

successful consultations.

On a lark, the Perrysburg Township woman took her two

dogs to a pet psychic at a recent dog show and asked why one of

them would scratch the linoleum when he was lying on it.

I actually wasn t too impressed, she said, explaining that the psychic didn t offer any insights that she hadn t already figured out.

I think it was fun. I was a little disappointed, let down, because I was hoping that he would say something insightful.

Contact Ryan E. Smith at: ryansmith@theblade.com or 419-724-6103.