That Sixth Sense – Can our pets really predict an earthquake? | young witness

Reports of the 5.9-magnitude earthquake in Melbourne this week were followed by a discussion among pet owners about whether their animals’ behavior changed in the seconds, minutes and even hours before the seismic event.

Many have asked if animals have an extra sensory ability to “predict” earthquakes.

It is an important question to ask.

Earthquakes are terrifying, potentially life-threatening events that shake the very foundation of existence.

As a child I was in Newcastle during the 5.6 magnitude earthquake in 1989.

It only lasted seconds, but 13 people were killed and 160 injured – mostly by collapsed buildings or falling debris.

It could have been much worse.

In 2011, 185 people lost their lives and more than 6,600 were injured after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake in Christchurch.

In their book Animals in Emergencies: Learning from the Christchurch Earthquakes, Annie Potts and Donnell Gaden describe the impact of the Christchurch earthquakes on animals — dogs, cats, horses, fish, birds, farm animals, laboratory animals, and wildlife.

Some lost their lives, many were injured, many were stunned and fled.

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the emergency services and volunteers, most companion animals that escaped are later reunited with their owners.

When it comes to earthquakes, early warning systems can save lives by allowing people and animals to evacuate to safe places.

Which leads us to the question: Can we really rely on animals to warn us early about earthquakes?

It’s a question that scientists have been seriously investigating.

In some cases, scientists have compiled observations from those who watched the animal’s behavior before earthquakes.

The problem is that because earthquakes are often sporadic and unpredictable, it is difficult to verify these reports as the behavior may not recur.

Another problem is that the behavior may occur in other contexts, so it can be difficult for scientists to determine whether the behavioral changes indicate the sensation of an earthquake, or just a coincidence.

A review of 180 scientific papers on unusual or abnormal animal behavior before earthquakes found weaknesses in many of these studies (Woith et al., 2018).

The authors found that behavioral changes appeared to coincide with tremors – less powerful earthquakes known to occur before the main event.

It is possible that the animals do not respond to anxiety, but to the vibrations that they feel that the humans around them cannot.

They may feel the ground moving under their feet before we do, but perhaps not long enough to act as a reliable early warning system.

What we have learned from the literature about previous earthquakes is the importance of including animals in human care in our contingency planning.

There are a number of steps you can take to help protect your animal in an emergency:

Ensure that dogs and cats are equipped with a microchip and that your contact details are up-to-date in the accompanying animal registry. Give a trusted family member or friend access to the property where the animals are kept, in case you are unable to return home to check on them in an emergency. Ensure animal carriers, leads and tools are in good condition and easily find out the location and contact details of the nearest vet, as well as 24-hour emergency veterinary centers in the area. Always keep a stock of at least three to seven days of medication and food prescribed for your pet to reduce the risk of running out.

the reviewer

POTTS, A., GADENNE, D. 2014. Animals in Emergencies: Lessons from the Christchurch earthquakes. Christchurch: University of Canterbury.

WOITH, H., PETERSEN, GM, HAINZL, S. & DAHM, T. 2018. Review: Can Animals Predict Earthquakes? Bulletin of the American Seismological Society, 108, 1031-1045. doi: 10.1785/0120170313

Dr. Anne Quain BVSc (Hons), MANZCVS (Animal Care), Dip ECAWBM (AWSEL) is a Lecturer at the Sydney College of Veterinary Sciences and a practicing veterinarian.

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