New Purpose Attracts New Family – Asahi’s story
In 2011 while at Pet Life in Saco ME introducing people to Reiki and its healing properties for animals, I met a couple of volunteers from the Animal Welfare Society (AWS). They were there for a Mobile Adoption event which brings dogs into public places with the hope that they will find their forever home. I offered Reiki to those dogs and shared with the volunteers what I was sensing. They were very grateful for the information and suggested I contact the shelter and perhaps bring Reiki to AWS. Not long after that event, I met with Kathy, AWS Volunteer Coordinator at that time, Karen Robinson, Animal Care Manager, and Kim Van Sickle, Lead Obedience Trainer, who were incredibly receptive to bringing Reiki to the shelter as a way to provide additional enrichment to the animals. I have been offering Reiki to the dogs, cats and others each week ever since then.
The response to the Reiki, and often an immediate change in the animal, is often observed by me and others. Changes in attitude, behavior, and an overall sense of healing from the past were being witnessed, particularly with the dogs. Often long-termers were finding homes within days of their Reiki treatment. Following these amazing experiences, I created the Provide Healing Using Reiki (PHUR) program, knowing this would bring regular Reiki sessions to the animals through trained volunteers.
The PHUR program is offered at AWS on the first Friday of every month by AWS volunteers who have Reiki training. Visitors are always welcome. We come together as a group and offer Reiki to the dogs that need a little extra enrichment, or to focus on emotional or behavioral issues that have surfaced. We work closely with the AWS staff, including Karen, Kim and Dr. Steve Askin, resident veterinarian.
Asahi and Guiness were surrendered to AWS by the parents of their owner who had recently passed away from cancer. Asahi and Guiness were kenneled together at the shelter. After temperament testing it was felt that they could be re-homed separately even though they continued to live together at the shelter.
In March of 2015, I began offering Reiki to Asahi and Guiness. I found they preferred to receive Reiki while in their kennel rather than the training room where sessions are usually offered. They each received it in quite different ways. Asahi would bury herself in to me, with intermittent bouts of playing with Guiness. Guiness preferred a gentler approach and really enjoyed Reiki, as if it was an opportunity for him to switch off from his role of looking out for Asahi. While sitting in the kennel with them, I was able to experience what they were experiencing in their environment, and could ask them questions about their surroundings. At that time they were new to shelter life, and seemed concerned by all the noises in the kennel, from the staff cleaning to people walking through. They were unable to associate the sounds they heard with a visual in order to understand what was happening. During a communication with them they asked for mirrors to be put up so they could see better. (Mirrors were not added I believe because the mirrors would also give them a visual of the other dogs which would create other issues.) They felt confused about their life too. They both really enjoyed their Reiki session. Afterwards, I shared my communication with staff as I usually do. I continued to offer Reiki to Asahi and Guiness in a few more sessions, as did other Reiki volunteers at the shelter.
We are all touched by each dog that comes through the shelter, some touch our hearts deeper than others. Asahi and Guiness touched our hearts. We wanted to understand their story and how we could help them to find their new home. What ensued over the next few days was nothing short of a miracle!!
Communication between Reiki volunteers and AWS staff is so very important, as “it takes a village” to help some dogs find their forever homes. Although this article is primarily about the benefits of the PHUR program, it’s important to note that AWS has an amazing and dedicated staff, who do so much for the animals from the moment they arrive. AWS volunteers can learn a great deal from the staff by observation and with good communication.
An email chat between volunteers and select staff began with regards to Asahi. (While Guiness continued to receive attention from shelter staff, the Reiki program began to focus on Asahi and her incredible journey to her forever home). The email communication helped to keep us all aware of changes and ways we felt Reiki might be beneficial. On April 6th, AWS volunteer Carol shared this with the email group: “Took Asahi out for a walk today which she seemed to enjoy, but when I sat on a bench with the intention of maybe trying some Reiki, she just wanted to keep going so that is what we did. When I returned her to the kennel, I sat down at the back and offered Reiki again. Much to my amazement, she put her head in my lap, rolled over for a tummy rub and fell asleep. She is such a different dog from how she appeared a few weeks ago and I know all of you and staff have been instrumental in making this happen. She seems so ready to try again in a new home. I just hope it happens soon.” AWS volunteers Angela and Beth relayed how withdrawn Asahi had been at a Mobile Adoption event she was taken to, which prompted Carol to spend time with her and offer more Reiki.
Beth commented through email that Kate Rousseu, Animal Care Technician, had been doing a tremendous amount of work with Asahi, including taking her out for a ride on her lunch break, and dressing her in costumes to get better photos for the website and also provide more enrichment. Kate also spent time with Asahi in the obedience room and really got her to play, not just with toys, but down on the floor with her playing. It was a side of Asahi that Beth hadn’t seen before.
It felt clear to me that Asahi had a story to share and once she had shared it would help her to connect with her new home. All the added enrichment she was receiving was helping to open her up to sharing her story.
On April 9th I worked with Asahi in the training room. Kim was also there and shared that a new protocol for Asahi had begun. She was to be walked on leash 4x day, by staff and/or volunteers, to help create stimulation and bring interest in to her life. As I began to connect and offer Reiki to Asahi, I sensed she was angry and felt lost. That much had been taken from her. Guinness had left and hadn’t come back and she felt she was next. She felt she had no purpose. She felt heavy and empty. I shared this communication with Kim and we continued to talk about it in front of Asahi. Kim said that the staff wanted to help Asahi find happiness but she had changed so much recently and they weren’t sure what to do. During this conversation Dr. Askin walked through and Asahi was really happy to interact with him.
Asahi continued her communication with me, sharing she felt she had no purpose, no reason to continue. Kim and I talked about finding her a purpose, giving her a reason to move forward in her life. We came up with the Asahi Project. This was a training project that would be created with Asahi’s help. She would be the test case for bringing balance and contentment to dogs going through similar emotional and behavioral experiences as she was. The more we talked about Asahi having this purpose, the more she settled down, sat still and became a part of the conversation, as animals do when they like what you are talking about. Asahi would guide how this training was developed both for staff, volunteers and her own purpose. As we talked more about this project, Asahi continued to settle and relax. She felt lighter. Kim and I were very excited about this new way forward for her. We did some agility training with Asahi, which she seemed to enjoy. When it was time to take her back to her kennel, I took her outside and noticed a person in a wheelchair waiting to go in to the shelter. Asahi became very interested and wanted to go over to meet this person. I invited Asahi to follow me and we went back to her kennel. She seemed calmer.
In an email to the group following the discussion with Kim, I shared: “So as we all know, you never know what these dogs will ask for in their path to purpose and their forever home. It’s so good to be able to share this information with all of you so Asahi and dogs like her can benefit from this program giving them a different level of being understood.”
Our Reiki group continued to share emails wanting the very best for her future. On April 12, just 3 days later, Kim emailed that Asahi had been adopted to a loving family. The father of this family was in a wheel chair and Asahi would be with him. How fantastic! She had a purpose, a reason to continue, someone to be responsible for. In response to Kim’s email, Angela replied: “Just seeing this email brought tears to my eyes – our gal has a job to do and a family to take care of. She has a purpose 🙂 100% made my day.” It took 3 days from our discussion with Asahi to her adoption. Kim shared with me: It is a great story and you were “spot on.”
The morning of the adoption Kim felt it was important for Asahi and Guiness to take a walk together. Kim and volunteer Beth walked the two dogs outside so they could spend some time together. This was an opportunity for them to have closure and say good bye.
Asahi’s story is one more we have experienced in the last 5 years in which AWS staff and volunteers have worked together to bring healing and opportunity for dogs to find their new forever homes. We all have different things we can offer, but it is the underlying caring for the animals and the desire to work together for their best outcomes which contributes to the successes. It is also what makes volunteering at AWS and being able to offer Reiki so very gratifying.
I continue to feel such compassion as the PHUR program brings a deeper level of understanding of a dog’s story, especially those who struggle more in the shelter way of life. Once the story is told and the dog’s purpose is discovered, the adoptive family appears and the dog is placed. The PHUR program provides incredible enrichment and additional support to the daily care and attention these animals receive from the dedicated shelter staff. As the staff have learned more about the program’s ability to get a deeper story, they have begun asking for animals to receive Reiki and are also interested in the story that is shared. It’s the perfect synergy!
For more information on PHUR and Reiki for shelter animals please visit: https://www.nikoenaturaltherapies.com/animal-therapy/shelterrescue-animals/
Thank you to the volunteers who have contributed to this article. Without them, this program would not reach as many animals. Thank you to AWS for having Asahi’s story shared.