A lot of strange behavior reports from local people made the news here.
I believe animals can sense these things.


Pet Premonition: Can Animals Predict Quakes?
Birds, Cats, Dogs Act Strangely Before Earthquake

POSTED: 4:07 pm EDT April 18, 2008
UPDATED: 8:17 pm EDT April 18, 2008


AVON, Ind. -- Hundreds of Hoosiers reported flaky animal behavior before, during and after an earthquake shook much of the Midwest, including Indiana, on Friday.

From birds to cats and dogs, many believe their furry friends were trying to tell them something important before the ground began to shake.

Elayne Martinez said her cockatiel, Rico, was rambunctious before the first earthquake, which hit just after 5:30 a.m.

"He's jumping all over. He's banging on the front of the cage like, 'Let me out of here,'" Martinez said. "Feathers are flying everywhere. He was trying to alert me. Something is going on -- run for cover."

Fortunately, there was no need to run. Martinez and Rico persevered.

In Avon, a Boston terrier named Jacob had a different way of dealing with the quake.

"I looked around for him and I couldn't find him," said Cindy Hartman, Jacob's owner.

Hartman found Jacob staring at a wall in the hallway, almost hiding from her in a striking departure from his normal behavior before the quake struck.


Cindy Hartman says her boston terrier, Jacob, wasn't himself before the earthquake.


"The whole house was shaking. I could hear the chimes out on the deck," Hartman said. "He was just sitting at my feet the entire time looking at me like, 'I was trying to warn you.'"

Veterinarian Bryan Hilgert said it is really difficult to draw a scientific conclusion, but he is convinced animals can sense when something's wrong.

Hilgert's cat, Kolchek, warned him just before the quake.

"My cat woke me up a minute before it occurred," Hilgert said. "He was very persistent. As soon as he jumped off the bed, the room started shaking."

Since Kolchek, Jacob and Rico all seemed to know more than their masters, one can only wonder if humans will ever harness what some consider to be a special sense.

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