As one of fewer than 50 canine acupressure practitioners in the country, Heather Sanders is at the forefront of canine holistic care. A career in neurology and oncology at Genentech & other San Francisco Bay Area biotech companies provided her with insight into both the exciting developments and unfortunate limitations of allopathic (western) medicine. When her dog developed cancer, she followed her passion for animals and embarked on a new direction of study under the nation’s leading alternative medicine educators.
Now a graduate of the Northwest School of Animal Massage, the Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute, and the Companion Animal Sciences Institute, Heather has accumulated over 1000 hours of training in canine massage techniques, anatomy, physiology, and nutrition. She has also studied conformation assessment, food therapy, and herbal medicine. Her extensive knowledge of and respect for western medicine informs her approach to holistic therapy and facilitates her collaboration with veterinarians in the development of strategies for care and treatment.
Heather is a member of the International Association of Animal Massage & Bodywork (IAAMB), the Associated Bodywork and Massage Practitioners (ABMP), and the San Francisco Raw Feeders (SFRAW). She helped develop the national exam for the National Board of Certification for Animal Acupressure & Massage (NBCAAM), and volunteers with several Bay Area rescue groups and shelters. When not working with other people’s animals, she can be found searching for missing people, hiking, or trail running.
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