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Many owners think their pet has seen a ghost, survey finds
Forty-two per cent of owners said they believed their pet had sensed something supernatural.
New survey by Blue Cross reveals supernatural beliefs.

Over two-fifths of pet owners believe that their pet has seen a ghost, a survey by Blue Cross has revealed.

Out of the 1,200 pet owners who took part, 42 per cent said that they believe their pet has sensed something paranormal and/or supernatural, and 60 per cent believe that their pet can see things that humans cannot.

Among the behaviours that owners reported were pets staring at a space to warn them of a ghost, refusing to enter a room or area, and barking or growling at an empty space.

According to 41 per cent of owners, unusual behaviours had coincided with an unexplained event in the home.

However, the charity has pointed out that there might be a natural explanation for such behaviour.

Jenny Baxter, animal behaviourist at Blue Cross, said: “It may appear that our pet is sensing something unknown and supernatural, but it is more likely they are sensing a real thing that is far beyond people’s limited sight, smell and hearing.

“As humans, we might think there is nothing there when our dogs growl or bark at what appears to be an empty space, leading us to suspect something spooky is taking place, but they could easily be responding to something they can hear four times further away than our own hearing.

“Likewise, a cat that suddenly avoids using a certain area of the house might be doing so because something unpleasant happened in that location. For example, they might have slipped and hurt themselves and so now have a negative association with that place. Without knowing this, it might appear that the cat is avoiding this area because it can sense a ghost.

“Whether ghosts are real or not, there is enough evidence for us to understand that pets’ superpowered senses enable them to experience the world in a very different way to humans.”

Image © Shutterstock

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FIVP Practice Matters podcast returns for Series 2

News Story 1
 The Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) has announced that its podcast, FIVP Practice Matters, will be returning for a second series next year.

The bi-weekly podcast will return on Tuesday, 14 January 2025 with an episode on sustainability with Alison Lambert. The second series will include a range of new and familiar guests sharing veterinary initiatives and news from independent practices.

The podcast is available on Spotify and will now also be released on Apple Podcasts. More details about FIVP and the podcast can be found on its website

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Further cases of H5N1 confirmed in Norfolk

APHA has officially confirmed that two more cases of H5N1 have been found on premises in Norfolk.

Testing confirmed that highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 was present at premises near Attleborough, as well as premises near Hingham in South Norfolk. The case near Hingham follows a slaughter on suspicion which was declared on 23 December.

A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone have been implemented at each premises, and all the poultry on each premises will be humanely culled.

A third case has also been identified near Beverley in East Riding of Yorkshire.

APHA is reminding bird keepers to remain vigilant and follow biosecurity measures to prevent more outbreaks. Details on the current disease control zones and biosecurity guidance can be found on the APHA website.