The years haven't been kind to us lately, with the coronavirus outbreak, the years of lockdowns, and now a crippling economic winter - and it turns out 2023 is going to be a doozy too.
A pet psychic has predicted what we've got in store and says we'll have a whale-hunting revelation and an outbreak of kangaroo pox that will devastate next year.
Samantha Milns, 52, who lives in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, with her partner Greg, 54, and their 17-year-old cat, Tom, described 2023 as "a year of two halves" for animals.
She said that the summer months of 2023 will be abundant with wildlife as a particularly warm spring leads to mice, butterflies and even seals enjoying a bountiful summer.
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"This is a year of two halves," said Samantha.
"The first six months are going to be not so great and then it starts to lighten up in the spring. I sense there will be an outbreak of kangaroo pox in Australia."
After a vision quest on a self-development course, Sam started working as an animal communicator in 2009, conversing with animals using telepathy.
"I remember thinking, 'I can't do that!'," she said.
"But I love animals, so I went on a one-day workshop and that then led to my training as an animal communicator.
"After I trained, it took me a good 18 months to start to really trust what I was hearing.
"It takes practice and more than that, you have to learn to trust yourself and trust what you are being told."
Samantha's cat Tom is among the creatures to have communicated with her and her fellow animal whisperers - assuring his owners he would pull through surgery in September 2022 to remove his right ear.
"He told one of my friends he was going to be OK," said Samantha.
"He got a tumour on the inside of his ear in July which he had removed. But unfortunately, it came back.
"The only thing we could do was take his ear off, but at 17-and-a-half years old and having two surgeries so close together, we were terrified.
"He told my friend he was going to be alright, he also said 'I'm going to tell everyone that I was attacked by wolves'!"
Spending the last year working with traumatised animals, Samantha said the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic is still being felt by our furry companions.
"I mainly work with traumatised animals," explained Samantha.
"A lot are struggling with the changes in socialisation. They were used to lockdown and now their bubble is changing.
"I've been working with a sheep that lives across from a friend that has been really struggling, she is very anxious and lonely.
"People were feeding her cake and she was so lonely she was eating it even though she didn't want to.
"She told me she was craving some healthy food, so my friend steamed her some broccoli which she loved!"
Sharing her predictions for our animals in 2023, Samantha foresees a difficult winter for dogs, cats and whooper swans.
"I see bird flu in February," said Samantha.
"I feel like swans will be affected, especially whooper swans will take a dip, but I think they will recover from it."
The animal whisperer also said she senses there will be many homeless dogs and cats this January.
"I'm seeing animals in kennels, shelters and homeless animals," she said.
"They're reflecting on how they had a home and now they don't, so it's going to be quite traumatic for some."
However, she predicted a jolly December for dogs.
"I see really happy well-fed dogs in December," said Samantha.
"I think Golden Retrievers and Labradors are going to do especially well."
Predicting an unusually warm spring, Samantha sees a bountiful summer for mice and butterflies, as well as some especially well-fed seals.
"I see a sweet treat for mice in March," said Samantha.
"It feels as though spring is going to come early, I'm seeing lots of butterflies in April.
"Albatrosses are going to be bountiful in May and I'm seeing lots of fat seals in August - I feel like our coastlines are going to see more of them."
But Samantha warned warmer weather could have devastating effects for animals abroad.
"It's going to be a tough summer for groundhogs," she said.
"I see them very hot in their burrows as the weather is too warm in June. I also see mustangs struggling, I see lots of dry dust around them in July.
"I also see a lot of skinny polar bears during this time of year."
However, one of Samantha's big predictions is a large-scale protest against hunting minke whales due to a leaked government paper in the press.
"I'm seeing lots of blood in water in October," she said.
"It doesn't look good for minke whales, I think somebody hurts them.
"I see a protest. It feels as though someone from the press actually gets a leaked document out there.
"The population feels diminished, and I see a lot of them swimming away."
Samantha said she feels the outcome still hangs in the balance but has an inclination that the protest could be successful.
"The protesters do have smiling faces so that does feel like a positive outcome," she said.
"It depends on people's actions, there is a lot to still be decided."
Overall, despite a rocky start, Samantha sees 2023 to be positive but feels that owners are going to have challenges with their dogs as socialisation difficulties increase with the end of Covid-19 measures.
"I’m seeing a lot of animals that have been born in lockdown," said Samantha.
"They don't have the socialisation skills, so they're actually not happy about the restrictions being lifted because they liked their own bubble.
"I still see it as being challenging. Obviously, it depends on the dog but there are definitely some with behavioural issues which need to be sorted.
"We can all communicate with our animals but it takes practice. Owners need to listen to these behavioural issues otherwise I see a lot of pets becoming homeless over the next year."
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