A year after Darby was adopted from a rescue, he hadn’t settled into his forever home and exhibited high anxiety in public and around strangers. Plenty of love, sessions with trainers, and lots of exercise had nominal impact on his anxiety. An animal communicator was hired to see if Darby could provide insights and information as to “why” he was anxious and “what” could be done to ease his anxiety.

The communicator relayed all information and insights received from Darby. That information led to major changes, resulting in behavior that prompted neighbors to ask if it was the “same dog.”

Given the observable positive impact on Darby, the obvious question arose: could animal communication services be a useful tool for rescues and shelters?

An online search revealed that communication with animals was neither “new” nor rare. For decades, private clients have hired animal communicators to improve their animals’ lives and deepen relationships. The websites showcase testimonials about the benefits to both animals and humans. However, the search didn’t locate any programs or organizations that focused on providing animal communication to rescues or shelters.

This inspired the creation of Giving Animals Voice, a program designed to support animal shelters, donate expertise, and help caregivers understand rescued animal needs. By fostering animal rescue organization collaboration and implementing a rescue animal wellbeing program, Giving Animals Voice ensures that communication insights are applied to improve the lives of animals in shelters, rescues, and sanctuaries, while equipping caregivers with actionable knowledge to support their ongoing care.