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Rates & FAQ
RATES:
COMING SOON
COMING SOON
PREPARING FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT
1-Make sure your animal has been walked or exercised if they are prone to being high strung or overexcited.
2-Don't schedule an appointment to soon before or after a feeding.
3-Make sure their ails have been trimmed recently.
4-Make sure they are relatively clean and brushed out.
5-Be sure to notify the therapist beforehand of all medical conditions, food type and frequency, former or current injuries and medications
6-Be sure that you consult with a vet before you make an appointment on whether or not massage is recommended. In most cases, a vet will encourage massage, but there are some rare situations where massage would not be safe.
1-Make sure your animal has been walked or exercised if they are prone to being high strung or overexcited.
2-Don't schedule an appointment to soon before or after a feeding.
3-Make sure their ails have been trimmed recently.
4-Make sure they are relatively clean and brushed out.
5-Be sure to notify the therapist beforehand of all medical conditions, food type and frequency, former or current injuries and medications
6-Be sure that you consult with a vet before you make an appointment on whether or not massage is recommended. In most cases, a vet will encourage massage, but there are some rare situations where massage would not be safe.
How do I become a Pet Massage Therapist?
We have gotten a lot of calls from interested practitioners asking, 'Is Pet Massage legal in Hawaii?" I will share with you what we learned to save you a lot of time.
When we first researched about it, we noticed there was only 2 pet massage therapists that were advertising. When we checked with IAAMB, we saw that the animal massage law for the state of Hawaii said " Must be performed by or under the direct supervision of a veterinarian". In other words there was no governing board for this practice. We thought that was strange since there were obviously people doing it openly. So we contacted Jonathan Rudinger, President, IAAMB and Founder of Petmassage™ who told us this,
"Many practitioners operate under the radar and/or with the tacit (understood) support of a veterinarian. It is my understanding that as long as you do not advertise or verbally indicate that you are doing “therapy” you can provide massage to pet animals. Even in the most litigious and turf-bound states, veterinarians and physical therapists only appear to be unhappy if they feel that we are encroaching on their practices. In Ohio, where I work, for example, as long as I stay within my scope of practice, which includes working under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, on-site sports massage, providing emotional support to animals and their caregivers, relaxation massage, and palliative (to ease without healing) care, I am okay in the eyes of the Veterinarian Licensing Board. I can comfortably fit my entire practice within these parameters."
So we contacted the Vet Board on his suggestion and just happened to get one of the heads of the Vet Board. She confirmed what he said and just made clear that as long as we understood that 1) we are not to ever indicate massage is replacing the care of a vet 2) Are not making a diagnosis or indicating it we can cure anything 3) only market it as a "benefit" 3) if a vet recommends massage therapy in lieu of conventional treatment, I must get it in writing.
What about Certification, Insurance, and training?
Because there is no governing board there is nothing to get certified in since pet massage doesn't really exist in the official context. In fact, an irresponsible practicioner could go out and practice in Hawaii without any training whatsover. However I would like to point out that you can do an animal serious injury if you don't know what you are doing so PLEASE, DON'T DO THIS or SUPPORT SOMEONE WHO DOES.
There are several options I recommend if you are going to start a pet massage practice. If you are already a massage therapist, there is a home study course offered by Jonathan Rudinger at www.petmassage.com for $85 (without certificate) and $285 (with certificate). This will help you apply what you already know about massage, to the physiology of an animal. Before you decide which course to take, be sure to find out who you are going to get insurance by and what their requirements are because they may require a certificate. If you are already a massage therapist, try checking with your existing insurance carrier. My insurance provider ABMP, actually wrote pet massage into my existing policy for not additional charge.
I f you choose to get official certification, you need to do it through the National Board of Certification for Animal Acupressure & Massage National Examination(NBCAAM).
NBCAAM Certification Instructions and Information
STUDY GUIDE FOR MASSAGE
Approved proctor for Hawaii is at thePearl City Public Library Contact: Floriana Coffman 808-453-6567
I hope that gets you started. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us and we would he happy to help.
We have gotten a lot of calls from interested practitioners asking, 'Is Pet Massage legal in Hawaii?" I will share with you what we learned to save you a lot of time.
When we first researched about it, we noticed there was only 2 pet massage therapists that were advertising. When we checked with IAAMB, we saw that the animal massage law for the state of Hawaii said " Must be performed by or under the direct supervision of a veterinarian". In other words there was no governing board for this practice. We thought that was strange since there were obviously people doing it openly. So we contacted Jonathan Rudinger, President, IAAMB and Founder of Petmassage™ who told us this,
"Many practitioners operate under the radar and/or with the tacit (understood) support of a veterinarian. It is my understanding that as long as you do not advertise or verbally indicate that you are doing “therapy” you can provide massage to pet animals. Even in the most litigious and turf-bound states, veterinarians and physical therapists only appear to be unhappy if they feel that we are encroaching on their practices. In Ohio, where I work, for example, as long as I stay within my scope of practice, which includes working under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, on-site sports massage, providing emotional support to animals and their caregivers, relaxation massage, and palliative (to ease without healing) care, I am okay in the eyes of the Veterinarian Licensing Board. I can comfortably fit my entire practice within these parameters."
So we contacted the Vet Board on his suggestion and just happened to get one of the heads of the Vet Board. She confirmed what he said and just made clear that as long as we understood that 1) we are not to ever indicate massage is replacing the care of a vet 2) Are not making a diagnosis or indicating it we can cure anything 3) only market it as a "benefit" 3) if a vet recommends massage therapy in lieu of conventional treatment, I must get it in writing.
What about Certification, Insurance, and training?
Because there is no governing board there is nothing to get certified in since pet massage doesn't really exist in the official context. In fact, an irresponsible practicioner could go out and practice in Hawaii without any training whatsover. However I would like to point out that you can do an animal serious injury if you don't know what you are doing so PLEASE, DON'T DO THIS or SUPPORT SOMEONE WHO DOES.
There are several options I recommend if you are going to start a pet massage practice. If you are already a massage therapist, there is a home study course offered by Jonathan Rudinger at www.petmassage.com for $85 (without certificate) and $285 (with certificate). This will help you apply what you already know about massage, to the physiology of an animal. Before you decide which course to take, be sure to find out who you are going to get insurance by and what their requirements are because they may require a certificate. If you are already a massage therapist, try checking with your existing insurance carrier. My insurance provider ABMP, actually wrote pet massage into my existing policy for not additional charge.
I f you choose to get official certification, you need to do it through the National Board of Certification for Animal Acupressure & Massage National Examination(NBCAAM).
NBCAAM Certification Instructions and Information
STUDY GUIDE FOR MASSAGE
Approved proctor for Hawaii is at the
I hope that gets you started. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us and we would he happy to help.
FOR QUESTIONS OR TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT CALL
members of the Windward for Wellness Movement.
808-259-5090
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members of the Windward for Wellness Movement.