Bark if you believe this story
By Andrea Lavigne
Victoria News
Jun 23 2006
Several animals were contacted but they all refused to comment
If you need proof Lynn McKenzie can communicate telepathically with animals, you'll have to ask your dog.
"If (people) say 'convince me,' then I'll say, 'that's not really what I'm all about,'" she explained. "I actually never try to convince anyone. That way I don't ever have to have conflicts."
The self-described natural-born intuitive and empath makes a living communicating with animals and teaching others how to tap into their pet's spirit. Her talents even span beyond the grave. McKenzie is often sought out by clients looking to connect with their dead pet.
Cats, dogs, rabbits, iguanas, even fish - there's few four-legged, furry and/or finned creatures McKenzie claims she hasn't had a conversation with. Don't believe her?
Try asking them yourself.
Not surprisingly, skeptics aren't typically drawn to her service.
"We find this sort of thing rather doubtful, unless we see some very credible evidence under controlled circumstances," said Theo Meijer, education chair of B.C. Skeptics, an association of scientists, psychologists and born skeptics that take a critical view of paranormal claims.
The Sidney resident describes himself as a born skeptic. And while he doesn't pooh-pooh the idea of communication with animals both here and in the afterlife, he simply wants proof. His stance doesn't make him popular.
"People are annoyed at criticism and skeptics because they put cold water on the whole thing," he said, adding that the main reason it "works" is because people want it work.
"People are very keen to communicate with the dead dog to which they were very close. So there is this desire that the person who does the communicating should succeed and that often makes them appear they succeed."
McKenzie, also a Sidney resident, said she's been blessed with the right clients, or people "open" to the idea of communicating with animals both here on earth and in the afterlife.
"My clients mostly come from referral, word of mouth or repeat, and I don't feel they would stay with me if they didn't feel they were benefiting."
Judging by the number of hits on her website, she must be striking a chord with some animal lovers. McKenzie conducts the majority of her telepathic communications via phone and Internet. By combining the wonders of technology with the wonders of her mind, she connects with pet owners from around the world. She said her largest client base (about 75 per cent) comes from the United States - the land of open-mindedness, at least when it comes to animal communication. The U.S. has several big-name animal psychics and communicators, including former model Sonya Fitzpatrick, star of the TV show The Pet Psychic. McKenzie herself has taped a pilot series called AnimaLinks, now in preproduction.
"When I work with an animal I'm tuning into their soul not their physical body," McKenzie explained.
Prior to a phone conversation, a client e-mail's the pet's personal information, such as a brief history including injuries, surgeries, moves and family changes. During the phone consultation, animals are not actually required to use the phone, in fact they don't even have to be present.
For $125, McKenzie tunes in for up to a half hour before the call, and spends 50 to 60 minutes on the phone with the owner. The animal speaks to McKenzie in a number of ways. Occasionally, she hears a voice. Other times, the message comes through in symbols, smells, or feelings.
According to skeptics, psychics and intuitives are really just people who pay close attention. Popular techniques include cold reading - or predictions about a person based on gender, age, dress, hair and body language.
Barry Beyerstein, a professor of psychology at the brain behaviour laboratory at Simon Fraser University, conducts cold readings as a means of debunking the mysticism surrounding mediums.
"I've been on radio programs where I've done readings for people who phone in and I've been told I'm the best psychic in the business. It's quite powerful when it's done well," he said.
McKenzie herself claims anybody can communicate with animals.
Now 46, she became a professional animal communicator about eight years ago. The former Realtor trained as a spiritual psychotherapist at the Transformational Arts College in Toronto, where she spent about "$60,000-$70,000 in training."
While she admitted to having some doubts at first, she said once her soul started to develop she became extremely intuitive, both with people and animals.
McKenzie started working with people, but it was her golden retriever, Jiggs, who convinced her to branch out.
Testimonials on her website extol McKenzie's ability to pinpoint a previously undetermined malady in the animal - which was later confirmed by a veterinarian: "Our vets and even the veterinary teaching hospital at the University of Guelph had trouble diagnosing what was physically wrong with our precious dog Ocean. When we turned to Lynn for a reading, she knew exactly where to tell them to test - the duodenum. Imagine our vet's surprise when the tests proved her accurate! Lynn may have saved Ocean's life."
The business of communicating with animals can be considered harmless fun, but skeptics warn there is potential for danger.
"If the masters get some comfort out of this, then it's their money and they can do what they want. But if they're supposedly diagnosing things in animals who can't speak for themselves, they may not get treatments that they need, or they may get treatments that they don't need - it's a potential abuse of the animal," Beyerstein said.
McKenzie divides her time between personal readings and conducting workshops for people who want to learn animal communication techniques. Her next workshop will be held June 24-25. The cost is $127 per day and pre-registration is required. For more information call 656-4390.
