The following cases illustrate the benefit of Reiki for animals. [For information on upcoming workshops, please visit our page of Classes.]
Murphy the Cat
Murphy responds to Reiki
Our cat Murphy was diagnosed with cancer in the fall of 2006. He had to have surgery to remove a tumor and some lymph nodes from his lower belly. The surgery went well and he came home with two drains and a cone on his head to prevent him from chewing the stitches. I gave him Reiki daily while he was healing. However, the trauma from the whole event had taken its toll on him. After the drains came out and the cone came off I thought he would be feeling more like himself, but that was not the case. In fact, he rarely moved from his bed and he had another lump where the lymph nodes had been. The vet didn’t feel there was any more she could do. I sat with Murphy that evening and gave him Reiki for an hour. I really felt he was on the verge of leaving us. With a heavy heart, I gave Murphy permission to go if he was ready to. 
I told him I would not take him back to the vet. Then I spent an hour in Reiki meditation with him. The following morning he was out of his bed and following me around demanding food. I checked his belly and the lump was gone. The turn around was remarkable!
When Daisy arrived at Rutland County Humane Society, she was missing fur from her lower body due to a severe flea infestation. It was unclear whether Daisy’s fur would grow back. Every time I sat in the cat room offering Reiki, Daisy would come over. After three sessions she got in my lap. While I gave her Reiki she rolled over so her back was in my hands. She got in my lap two more times after that and I noticed her fur was coming back. Eventually she would come by, but stopped getting in my lap. I continued to see a change in her fur. It was interesting that she seemed to be done with her treatments, although she continued to get better. Daisy knew just how much Reiki she needed.
Another interesting RCHS case was Missie, a shepherd mix. I reached out to pet her in her kennel and she leaned her left ear into my hand. I offered her a session and she spent most of the time sitting quietly while she received Reiki. Missie kept putting her ears into my hands during the session. Later, I discovered that she suffered from chronic ear infections. Missie directed the energy to go where she needed it most.
The first time I offered Reiki to Ellie, a morgan horse, she ran right over to me. She sniffed and licked both of my hands and rubbed her head on me. She stood quietly receiving the energy, then nudged me again and walked away. According to her owner, she was calmer after her sessions and handled better on the ride.
There are many ways that Reiki can help animals. As with humans, Reiki relieves stress and assists in relaxation. In addition, it can also help with past abuse issues, behavioral problems and end of life care. Consider the benefits of Reiki for your animals.