SHIRLEY Bryant’s unusual business is providing a helping hand to get pets of all kinds overcoming their problems.

The former guidance officer launched her own Animal Reiki Therapy company only recently but has already been able to assist pets from skittish cats and dogs to a two year-old foal recovering from a major operation.

Ms Bryant, who lives in Horwich, had a lengthy career supporting other people into employment and as a counsellor.

In 2010, however, she became seriously ill with multiple chronic conditions including asthma, epilepsy, osteoporosis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

This ended her guidance officer career and her health only started to improve with the help of medical staff and alternative therapists including reiki — a holistic therapy which boosts the body’s healing by channelling natural energy.

After three and a half years, Ms Bryant felt well enough to work but had to find a different career path. She had originally qualified as a reiki practitioner herself and, when she read in The Bolton News about Lexus Greyhound Rescue needing assistance she went along to give reiki to rescued dogs there.

“From then on, I knew where my place was,” she said.

She went to the Jobcentre to see how to set up a business and received plenty of support there as well as from a Blue Orchid Business Advisor.

She took additional qualifications in Animal reiki Therapy to back up the Levels 1 and 2 and Angelic Reiki qualifications she already had, and based herself at the Moontree Holistic Centre in Winter Hey Lane, Horwich.

Ms Bryant is there on Mondays and she takes appointments for the afternoons and evenings, and visits stables by prior appointment. She hit the local headlines when she helped poorly foal Mia following her operation to treat cartilage disease.

“Animals are just as receptive to reiki as humans,” she said.

“I treat them in the same way, finding out about their history and whether they’ve had any illnesses. I treat them respectfully.”

The range of problems is wide. Some animals do not like to be touched, others are suffering discomfort or pain, some are hypersensitive or stressed.

Reiki is a laying on of hands although it can be a distance channelling and Ms Bryant, a member of the UK Reiki Federation, has already found that the widely used therapy works well with many animals.

“They are honest in the way they respond, but you just have to watch for their behavioural changes as they can’t tell you how they feel,” she added.

Ms Bryant really enjoys the individual animal reiki sessions.

She says reiki works on “physical, emotional and spiritual levels”.

“I know the whole idea is just too airy-fairy for some people,” she stated. “But if they are open to it — and animals certainly are — then Reiki really can work for everyone.”