Have you lost a beloved pet – and after their death, have you ever had a sense that they were still around, perhaps nudging you? Or have you seen their tail disappear somewhere out of the corner of your eye?

Some people we’ll be hearing in this podcast are convinced that their dogs, cats and rabbits have stayed around after their earthly death.

There’s the vicar whose dog Jenga kept appearing after he had died; spaniel Poppy, whose owner Jed felt her soul leave her body; and pagan witch Lu, who believes that her beloved cat Juniper still exists in a parallel realm.

To discuss these and other cases (and their own beloved pets), Mark Dowd is joined by Christian theologian and environmental campaigner Canon Dr Ruth Valerio and Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, who believes his dog taught him how to be a better human.

They reflect on these beliefs about what happens to animals when they die, and what our spiritual relationship with our pets can teach us about our relationship with the wider natural world.