Sonya began speaking to animals in and around Houston, hearing of their emotional, physical, and even spiritual concerns. She began to diagnose illnesses - because the animals told her what was wrong. They send her pictures, she says, and she in turn, sends pictures back. "If someone says to you, 'Where is the Statue of Liberty?' what image do you get in your head? That's what you send to the animal. If you want an animal to stay in the backyard, don't say, 'Stay in the backyard,' rather send them a picture of it."

Veterinarian Benny Zacek is amazed by Sonya's skills and can vouch for her diagnostic ability. Others in the Houston area are grateful for Sonya, including the owner of a horse which had suffered for years from head pain, which pain their vet could not account for. But Sonya, brought out to the farm to talk to the horse, quickly learned that there was a small piece of metal lodged in the side of the horse's head. X-rays done on the horse had not detected it. And the vet was certain Sonya was wrong, but at the owner's urging, the vet re-X-rayed the horse and discovered that Sonya had seen what he had not. Indeed, there was a piece of metal lodged in the horse's head.

Sonya also can find lost pets, often by simply looking at a photograph of the missing animal. She finds them because they send her pictures of where they have been and what they are currently seeing. Sonya now has an international clientele of over 7,000 people. She will travel to them, but many come to Houston. Meantime, she appears regularly on a Houston talk show, talking to pets over the phone, diagnosing their ills, and comforting their owners when they are dying. What might account for Sonya's gift? Do others have it and not know it? More intriguingly, do we all have it, as some suggest, buried deep within the brain, a holdover from our ancient, pre-verbal past?

For more information about Sonya Fitzpatrick, please visit www.sonyafitzpatrick.com