Earlier than usual one morning, a cat wakes his owner who catches a different train to work and escapes the Clapham rail disaster.

A deer jumps out in front of a driver, causing him to brake heavily, avoiding a high-speed collision with a tractor hidden around the next bend.

A sheep approaches a woman sitting in the countryside, and nuzzles her. Later, the woman discovers a close friend died at that very moment and realises the sheep had delivered a final goodbye.

Strange experiences like these are being investigated by Petra Stapp, of Coleford, Somerset, for a PhD.

The study is involved in looking at the meanings that people place on these types of encounters with animals, and why they do so in the face of the hard scientific standpoint that demands "proof".

"I decided on this study after a lifetime of experiencing animals as 'people' in their own right," said Petra, who is a compliance manager for a waste management company.

"My pets demonstrate preferences, they show affection, emotions and so on, which, I am constantly told, is my anthropomorphic and unrealistic self-centred view of things.

"I'm sick of being called a 'bunny-hugger' because I value animal life."

Petra's research involves listening to and collecting people's stories where the animal encounter has changed their view of the world in some way.

"These stories show us that animals do have 'agency' in the world, contrary to the old view that animals had no feelings or thoughts," she added.

■ Petra would like to hear from people about their mysterious experiences with animals. You can contact her by email at theothers@me.com