There are ways to discover if your animal has returned to your life after they passed on. This information comes from my book, Peace in Passing: Comfort for Loving Humans During Animal Transitions Second Edition.

If you’re open to considering animals returning after they’ve passed on, there are some comforting benefits. For instance, I find comfort when I realize one of my animal has returned. They loved me enough to find me again. As imperfect as I may have been the last time, they still decided to return.

Release your expectation of their previous personality

Before I share about how they might show up, I want to caution you about an expectation you might have. Don’t expect to encounter a clone of your animal’s previous personality. Let them be who they are in this lifetime. They have a different reason for being here this time around.

Also, it’s fun to see how they’re different and how some of their traits have continued into this life.

Another chance to be better guardians

For some of us, we didn’t do as well as we wanted the first time around. Happily, we get a chance to be better guardians this time.

For instance, when my dog Pee Wee came back as my son’s dog, Peanut, I got to be her grandma and surround her with love. Even better, I helped Peanut through her transition using my animal communication and healing skills. I had a chance to make amends for my less-than-stellar performance when she was Pee Wee (“C”-  dog parenting).

Ways to notice that your animals have returned

Here are ways I and other people have discovered that our animals have returned to us or close family members.

  • You want to call them by a previous animal’s name.
  • Their current name is similar to a previous animal’s name.
  • You found them in the exact same way as you found your previous animal.
  • They look similar.
  • They have similar habits.

Daydream with your one of your current animals

If this calls to you, imagine your and your animal’s life through the lens of reincarnation, which is all about growing through experiences.

Just for fun, do a little daydreaming. Invite your animals, current and past, to show you who they were in a previous lifetime. Usually, someone will step forward and say, “I’m game.” Some take you back hundreds of years. Some take you back to an earlier time in your current life. You never know!

Want more examples of animals returning to their human families?

Read my book!


Have you noticed this with one of your animals? I’d love to hear about it!