What does it mean to talk to an animals? Does it mean commands? Giving orders? Does it mean the squeaky “up” voice that trainers love? Does it mean medications and toys and play groups? Does it mean keeping them alive and in pain because we love them? I’m not sure what it means. I think it means listening. Being still. Trusting them to sense our emotions and respond in their way.

For me, it means acknowledging I do not know what they are thinking. It means clearing my head of all the many human projections about what they want and need. It means watching them and letting the find me, and tell me what they need to tell me. They are hungry. They are restless. They are confused. They need attention. They are hurting. Starting points. Talking to animals for me means listening to them.