Did you feel the earthquake in WA? Luckily, no major damage or injuries were reported, but locals described the ground shaking, windows rattling, and small items falling from shelves, particularly in towns closer to the epicentre. If you have an assistance or companion animal, you might have wondered “can dogs sense earthquakes”?

Below, we take a quick look at the WA earthquake and then at whether our dogs are able to sense tremors ahead of time.

Was there an earthquake in WA today?

Yes, there was an earthquake in WA’s Wheatbelt today, 30 July 2025. A magnitude 4.8 tremor struck just after 2am near Wyalkatchem, a town located about 190km north-east of Perth. The quake was widely felt across the region, with reports coming in from Perth, Kalgoorlie, and several other areas hundreds of kilometres from the epicentre.

This event follows a recent increase in seismic activity in the area, with over 130 smaller quakes recorded in the past year as part of an ongoing earthquake swarm. While no injuries or significant damage were reported, the tremor caused windows to rattle and startled many residents.

Can animals predict earthquakes?

With Australia sitting on the Indo-Australian Plate, stress builds up within the plate and is occasionally released as intraplate earthquakes. It also happens that Aussies are among the world’s top pet owners. So, it’s only natural to wonder: can assistance or other dogs sense earthquakes in WA and beyond?

It’s a widely debated question, largely because it’s tricky to get definitive answers. However, a number of studies suggest that animals, including cats, dogs, snakes, and even ants, can sense and react to seismic activity before it happens.

That doesn’t mean animals have a sixth sense or supernatural powers. What’s more likely is that they’re highly attuned to subtle environmental cues, such as changes in atmospheric pressure or tiny underground vibrations that humans simply can’t detect.

Notable shifts in animal behaviour before earthquakes

Around the world, there are fascinating examples of animals behaving strangely before earthquakes. In some cases, people have used these behaviours as early warning signs of seismic events:

• Greece: Dogs and other animals showed heightened and unusual behaviour before an earthquake.
• Germany: Redwood ants nesting along a fault line broke routine and became unusually active just prior to a quake.
• China: Snakes emerged from their dens—despite it being hibernation season—just before a major earthquake struck.
• Italy: Farm animals showed increased restlessness and activity before both high and low seismic events. Interestingly, this behaviour only occurred when the animals were indoors. Outdoors, they remained calm.

In the case of China, the snakes’ unusual exodus led authorities to evacuate a city—a decision that likely saved many lives, as the earthquake went on to destroy nearly 90% of the buildings. Other animals, such as dogs, also showed signs of anxiety and distress ahead of the quake.

Can dogs sense earthquakes in WA and beyond?

Dogs, like many other animals, have superior senses compared to humans. Their acute hearing, smell, and sensitivity to pressure changes help explain why they often react before natural events like thunderstorms—or earthquakes in WA and beyond.

Research from Dr Stanley Coren, a psychology professor and expert in canine intelligence, sheds light on this. Though initially sceptical, Dr Coren’s perspective changed after collecting data on 200 dogs in Vancouver over an eight-month period. Just 24 hours before a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Pacific Northwest, many of the dogs in the study displayed clear behavioural changes.

Key findings included:

• 47% of the dogs became significantly more active than usual
• 49% showed heightened anxiety
• 13 dogs that didn’t react were hearing-impaired
• 1 hearing-impaired dog did react—because it was paired with a hearing dog
• The dogs most reactive to the quake had non-floppy ears, suggesting better sound detection

Tip: if your dog has floppy ears, keep them clean—dirt and moisture can reduce their hearing and lead to an ear infection.

So, while dogs may not predict earthquakes in a mystical sense, their finely tuned senses likely allow them to detect the early signs of seismic activity.

How Assistance Dogs might react to a WA earthquake

Assistance Dogs—such as guide dogs, medical alert dogs, or PTSD support animals—are trained to remain calm and focused in chaotic or distracting environments. Because of this:

• They may be less likely to panic than pet dogs
• They might stay close to their handler or become more alert, pacing or nudging as if anticipating something
• Some may show subtle behaviour changes, like refusing commands or acting restless

In studies (like Dr Stanley Coren’s dog behaviour research before the 2001 Seattle earthquake), dogs that sensed seismic activity became more active or anxious in the 24 hours prior to the quake. Assistance Dogs could exhibit similar signs—especially if they’re hearing dogs, mobility aids, or seizure-alert animals, as these roles involve close observation of environmental or body-based cues.

Assistance Dog pet insurance 

In addition to possible sensing a WA earthquake, Assistance Dogs play a vital role in supporting their handler’s access to public spaces. As such, it’s important that they get prompt access to medical treatment if they get sick or ill.

Blue Badge Insurance offers insurance coverage for your pup, whether they’re an Assistance Dog or a companion animal. Check out our pet insurance and Assistance Dog insurance policies today. 

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