In a book that is part memoir, part case study and part how-to, the author takes her readers on a journey that leads from her childhood in England to a visitation from St. Francis; then on to the astral plane and into the minds of dozens of animals. You will never be bored reading this book; in fact, you’ll often be awed. Using psychic gifts she has had since childhood, Fitzgerald communicates with animals by transmitting thoughts, images and feelings. And her accounts of these “conversations” are not only entertaining; they are instructional. Readers will get practical advice on such matters as how to introduce a new baby to a one-pet household, how to resolve arguments between two household pets, how to prepare your pet for a move or a trip on an airplane, and how to find a lost dog. She also addresses countless behavioral problems such as soiling, chewing and excessive barking. Most behavioral problems, the author believes, stem from a change in the pet’s routine; even such seemingly small changes (small to the human, that is) as moving her dish to a new spot in the kitchen or changing the color of his collar, can greatly upset your dog. And the only way the dog can let you know he is upset (until you start to speak his language) is by “acting out.”

“One of the most difficult things for humans to understand,” Fitzpatrick writes, “is the powerful effect their own emotions can have on the behavior and outlook of their animal companions. Frequently, when I am called to consult on an animal’s problem behavior, I can trace the source of the difficulty right back to some upset or change that has happened within the family. A death, divorce, the birth of a baby, a change of house, illness, financial difficulties—any of the hundred problems that can beset us—also deeply affect our animal friends.” So it’s important, the author stresses, to communicate with our animals. To tell them that a change is going to take place, and to include them, if you can, in the process. If you have to replace your dog’s ratty old collar, in other words, simply explain it to him. Better still, take him to the pet boutique with you and ask him to help you choose a new collar.

And how, you ask, does one do this? Fitzpatrick offers terrific exercises and practical tips on communicating with your animal. Basically she’s saying that you have to develop your intuition, because it is with intuition that most animals communicate.

And doing that, according to Fitzpatrick, is really not as hard or farfetched as it might sound. Many pet guardians are al-ready communicating with their pets telepathically, Fitzpatrick points out. They just don’t realize it. If you tell your dog to “go find your fuzzy red ball” and he does it, you may think he has a keen grasp of the English language. But it’s more likely, the author feels, that he was picking up on your mental image of that ball in the basket in the basement.

So again, whether or not you believe in psychic abilities, there is much to gain from reading What the Animals Tell Me. You will gain a deeper understanding of your pet, of his wants, needs and desires. “If the stories you read in this book open the way for you to enhance and develop further the loving relationships you enjoy with your pets,” Fitzpatrick concludes, “then I will have achieved my purpose.”