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Event catering to those who love their pets

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Photo by Cat Szalkowski-Patneau

Reiki master, Esther Turner, who owns Rhythms of Life in downtown Janesville, performs Reiki on Vanderbilt Wilcox-Fletcher, a regular client.

JANESVILLE — Dan Wilcox and Rich Fletcher take their cat and three dogs to a veterinarian, but the Janesville men also rely on alternative medicine for their pets.

Every three months, they hire Esther Turner to perform reiki—a light-touch healing technique that Turner says channels “universal energy” through her to the animals.

“It’s to make sure they’re relaxed and helps them deal with fears and other issues,” Wilcox said.

“They’re very calm while Esther is doing it. And when she’s done, they’re just so mellow. It’s great,” he said.

Reiki, according Turner’s business brochure, is a healing method that originated in Tibet more than 2,500 years ago. She said it and can release stress, increase awareness and balance energy in the nervous system.

Wilcox said he sees a difference in his pets.

“They have more energy and travel better. There’s no nipping, biting or trying to jump out of the car,’’ he said.

Janesville veterinarian Janice Niedermeier of Healthy Companions Vet Clinic, Janesville, said reiki and other alternative medicine techniques can be effective.

“I really do feel that it’s very likely to have helped a dog that belongs to one of my clients that’s had reiki because she’s a very anxious dog and almost anything we do here brings a lot more anxiety, and the reiki is likely to help address that,” she said.

“A lot of people are not aware that there’s anything other than pharmaceuticals to help their pets feel better. I think any opportunity to educate the public is something we should use fully and wisely,’’ she said.

Turner, a local reiki master and certified practitioner of emotional processing technique, will be among more than a dozen people demonstrating and selling pet products and services Saturday during I Love My Pet Day at Earthsong Books & Gifts.

In addition to vendors for dog daycare and a canine swim center, Turner will be joined by businesses that offer acupuncture for pets, chiropractic for cats and massage for horses.

People don’t necessarily know about alternative medicine for pets, said Linda Caldean, of Earthsong, event host.

“We have a community resource center (at Earthsong) and it’s full of information about local practitioners, but that’s for humans. So at a staff meeting one day, someone said, ‘Well, what about our pet population?’ There’s all kinds of wonderful things out there the public may not know about,’’ Caldean said.

“As a staff, part of the philosophy of the store is to expose the public to what’s out there and to educate them to try new things. There is a bridge between traditional and alternative medicines and they both have a place in health,’’ Caldean said.

The daylong event also is happening for a good cause. Proceeds will benefit Friends of Noah animal rescue and the Rock County Humane Society, she said.

Turner, 65, of Janesville, began performing reiki on people more than 20 years ago and later on pets that suffered from separation anxiety while their owners were on vacation. From there, she performed reiki on pets to help them heal after surgery and on animals that suffer from anxiety.

“It’s a universal energy available to all life forms,’’ she said.

A reiki session in the pet owner’s home or at Turner’s business can last up to one hour. The natural healing of reiki is good for relaxation and can reduce chronic pain, Turner said.

But, she added, “It’s not a cure-all. It’s something that can enhance the healing process.”

Wilcox said he and Fletcher want what’s best for their pets, all rescued from traumatic situations.

Vanderbilt Wilcox-Fletcher is a product of a puppy mill. The 11-month-old Pomeranian’s mother was confined to a crate for five years.

Spartacus is a 6-year-old purebred Louisiana Catahoula leopard dog traumatized by Hurricane Katrina and later hit by a vehicle.

Olympia, an 8-month-old Australian shepherd/border collie mix, was abandoned in a box with her umbilical cord still attached.

And Minerva, a 9-year-old domestic shorthair tabby cat, once was pleasantly plump but now for some undiagnosed reason weighs only five pounds.

“The reiki is so soothing, and the warmth Esther channels goes where it’s needed,” Wilcox said. “So if there’s a problem in a joint, it (the healing energy) just filters through to the animals.”

PET PROVIDERS

Businesses and vendors who will be represented at I Love My Pet Day on Saturday include:

-- Dunkin Dawgs canine swim center

-- Dog Zone day care and training

-- Pup Joy dog walking and pet care

-- Raven’s Wish animal art

-- Marley’s Lovin’ Oven dog treats

-- Rusacks handcrafted dog carriers

-- Hot Doggy collars, leashes and crafts

-- Healthy Companions Vet Clinic flower essences/pet care

-- Five Elements Acupuncture and herbals

-- Gentle Hands Vet Care chiropractic and essential oils

-- Horse Touch Massage for horses and dogs

-- Muttlovers Traveling Spa grooming

-- Friends of Noah animal rescue

-- Rhythms of Life reiki

-- Free pet toenail trims

-- Inneractive Chakra aura photos with your animal

-- Intuitions Animal Communication with animal communicator Amy Miller