Why Animal Acupuncture: A Practitioner’s Perspective

I am often asked why I treat animals with acupuncture. My answer is that I love it and I could not imagine not treating both people and animals.

As I contemplated attending acupuncture school, it never occurred to me that I wouldn’t treat animals. This possibility was one of the many things that drew me to this medicine. Where else I could work with both people and animals in a healing way? For me there is nothing better.

Treating animals speaks deeply to my connection to nature. This strong connection is part of my spirit and is as natural as breathing. There are many family stories about me wandering or even crawling off to be with animals. I could not have an animal, so I befriended every animal I could—neighborhood dogs, cats, squirrels, turtles and birds. Even as a child, I could not live a life without animals.

As an acupuncturist, I am honored to treat both animals and their people. For most of us, our relationship with our animals is symbiotic. I have seen many times where the animals and their people have similar health challenges. The interface between the two is apparent and treating both can support healing.

Through the years that I have treated animals I have learned so much. Animals are skilled at being in the moment. They don’t worry about what they should have done or what they should do tomorrow. They live in a state of being connected to nature that helps us humans regain it. And they move through life’s transitions with grace. An animal’s unconditional love and open heart moves me and teaches me about life and love. Most of our animals are so tuned into us that they know how to be with us without words. They know their presence is a comfort and a delight to us. They come with hearts wide open and simply show us who they are. I love being greeted by my animal patients with their boundless enthusiasm. 

In my practice, I have been privileged to treat not only beloved household pets, I have worked with many service animals, such as dogs working for the hearing impaired, blind, and physically challenged. I have also treated working dogs for police and fire departments, and other government agencies, and have worked with horses at private barns and rescues. I also do pro-bono work for a wide variety of animals in rescue organizations with the hope that treating these animals brings them into harmony and can make them more adoptable. Working with animals speaks to my heart and brings me great joy every day.

If you are of a kindred spirit, you might consider adding animal acupuncture to your practice. To learn more about the Post-Master’s Certificate in Animal Acupuncture, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at 410-888-9048 ext. 6647, or , or visit www.tai.edu.

Noreen Javornik is the Tai Sophia Institute’s Animal Acupuncture program manager and a private practitioner