When a pet goes missing, the hours feel unbearable. You've posted on every neighborhood Facebook group. You've walked the streets calling their name. You've put up flyers and checked every shelter within driving distance. And still, nothing.
This is one of the most emotionally devastating experiences of loving an animal. It is also one of the situations where people often reach out to me.
I'm Michelle Hawk, a professional animal communicator and pet psychic based in Portland, Oregon. Lost pet cases are some of the most urgent and emotionally charged sessions I work with, and over more than 20 years of practice, I have helped many animals find their way home. Here I’ll share how animal communication works for lost pets, what it can and cannot do, and how to reach me if your pet is missing right now.
If your pet is missing and you need immediate help, email me directly before scheduling online. I do my best to take lost pet cases as priority bookings.
How Animal Communication Works for Lost Pets
Animal communication works by forming an energetic connection with an animal, regardless of where they are physically. Distance is not a barrier. Whether your pet is two blocks away or two counties over, I can connect with them energetically using a clear photo and my intuitive connection.
In a lost pet session, I am doing several things simultaneously. I'm connecting with your pet to understand how they are feeling — whether they are frightened, injured, or calm. I'm receiving whatever images, sensations, or information they can share about their environment: what they see, hear, smell, and sense around them. And I'm conveying messages from you to your pet, helping orient them toward home or toward safety.
What comes through can include: a description of the landscape or surroundings, a sense of direction from where they were last seen, specific environmental details like sounds, smells, buildings or geographic features. These sessions also give insight into whether the animal is alive or has passed away.
What Animal Communication Can and Cannot Do
I want to be honest with you about this, because if your pet is missing you deserve clarity rather than false hope.
What it can do:
Animal communication can provide a sense of whether the animal is still alive or has passed away. This is how I begin every lost pet session, because it indicates how we approach the rest of the session.
Animal communication can provide directional clues and environmental details that give search efforts a more specific focus. It can help you understand whether your pet is still moving or has settled somewhere. It can help guide a pet who is disoriented back toward home by conveying clear messages and familiar anchors. And in cases where an animal has passed, it can provide closure and allow you to receive their final communication.
What it cannot guarantee:
I cannot promise that animal communication will bring your pet home. There are cases where pets are found after a session and cases where they are not. I make no guarantees — what I can promise is that I will do everything in my power to connect clearly with your animal and bring you whatever information comes through.
One memorable missing animal case involved a cat who escaped from the balcony of a second-story apartment. He had been missing for over a week when his people contacted me. They were afraid he had passed away, but their cat told me he was still alive and gave some important clues about his location. I was able to narrow down their search zone to a few blocks. They contacted me the next day to let me know that, with that information, they had found their cat and brought him home!
What Clients Say About Lost Pet Sessions
"He's home. Thank you, it's all surreal right now. This all wouldn't have been possible without you. You provided us with much needed clarity at a really tough time. We went straight from where we found him to the vet. No issues, just hungry and a little dirty."
— Frankie I. Pittsburgh, PA (cat found after 12 days missing)
How to Get the Most From a Lost Pet Session
If your pet is missing, here is how to prepare for the best possible session:
Act Quickly
Time matters in lost pet cases. The sooner we connect, the more likely your pet is still in a knowable location, still moving and active, and still able to communicate clearly. If your pet has been missing for less than 48 hours, reach out immediately. If it has been longer, reach out anyway — I have helped in cases where animals were missing for days or weeks. I do my best to accommodate missing animal cases as priority bookings.
Have a Clear, Recent Photo Ready
A clear, recent photo of your pet is the only thing I need to establish the energetic connection. Have this ready to send before your session. The more recent the photo, the better — ideally taken within the last few months.
Know Their Last Known Location
Be ready to tell me where your pet went missing (exact address or cross streets) as well as any sightings or last known locations, as I may be able to dowse for them on a map. This helps me orient the connection to their starting point and direction of movement.
Be Prepared for What Comes Through
What I receive may be unexpected. I may describe an environment that doesn't immediately make sense to you — and then you realize later that it matches a location you hadn't thought to search. Come to the session open to receiving information rather than looking for confirmation of a specific theory.
These sessions may also reveal that your beloved animal has passed away. Unfortunately, many missing animals don’t make it home. In some cases, I am able to help people locate their beloved animal’s remains.
I vividly remember a session with a cat in San Diego who told me that she had been hit by a car. She took the opportunity to share beautiful messages of love and gratitude with her human. I was able to provide her person with a 2 block search radius, where she recovered her cat’s body. Even though the cat didn’t make it home, the experience provided closure and peace for everyone.
What Happens in a Lost Pet Emergency Session
Lost pet sessions follow the same basic structure as all my animal communication sessions, with some key differences:
Unlike sessions where your pet is sitting right next to you, missing pet cases have a lot of uncertainty and emotional charge from both you and your pet, which can cloud the connection. These are the most difficult sessions I do. Please take deep breaths and do your best to stay calm and focus on your love and connection with your animal.
I begin by sensing your animals energy and asking if they are still alive. Clients have asked me how I know if an animal is alive or has passed on — over 20 years of practice, I have communicated with many deceased animals and their energy feels different from living animals. By tuning in with your animal’s energy, I can tell you with as much confidence as possible if they are living or deceased based on how their energy feels, in addition to what they tell me about their experience.
If their energy and messages indicate that they are alive, I do a body scan and ask for information to confirm their health, well-being and emotional state. From there, I ask specific questions about their environment. Animals can share identifying information about their location, such as buildings, water and other geographic features, smells and sounds, the presence of people and other animals.
If the animal’s energy and messages indicate that they have passed away, the session gives an opportunity for loving connection, clarity and closure.
Lost pet sessions are available virtually via Zoom from anywhere in the world.
How Animal Communication Fits With Other Search Efforts
Animal communication is not a replacement for a thorough physical search, but it is great as a complementary effort.
In addition to connecting with your animal in session, you should continue active searching, posting on local lost pet networks, contacting shelters, and working with neighbors. Think of the session as a way to make your search more targeted and focused rather than a substitute for boots-on-the-ground effort.
Some clients use the session to narrow down which areas to prioritize. Others use it primarily for the emotional support of knowing their pet is okay and receiving a message from them. Both are completely valid reasons to reach out.
How to Book a Lost Pet Session
Email me directly before booking online. Lost pet cases are time-sensitive and I do my best to take them as priority bookings. Include your pet's name, species, when they went missing, and a brief description of the situation. I will respond as quickly as possible.
If you would prefer to book immediately online, visit the booking page here, but please email me as well so I know your situation is urgent.
Sessions start at $100 for 20 minutes.
Michelle Hawk is a professional animal communicator, pet psychic, and biologist based in Portland, Oregon. She offers virtual sessions worldwide and in-person sessions in the Portland, Oregon and Columbia River Gorge area. Learn more about Michelle →