Five folks who've found unique ways
to talk to—and for—the animals
lot of us have pets at home, and some of us are
lucky enough to share office space w ith our furry
friends, but the people you'll meet in this story
have taken their love for animals a step further.
They've each found an unusual w ay to enhance the lives of
many animals and made it their life's w ork. Sure, w e might
know gay vets and lesbian dog groomers, but these five
people go where few others have gone before. They're all
?V\o ' 0
members of our community, and th ey're all fascinating.
Perhaps they'll even inspire you to invent a new career!
To youp pet's good health
How a woman’s three-legged dog
led her down, a new path
by
Above: “ Tell me where it hurts,” Dr. Mandeville asks her patient
Below: It helps to be a contortionist if you’re an animal chiropractor
O riana G reen
1 he magazines on the waiting room
And Mandeville took on the additional
table tell the whole story: Natural
training for another, more personal reason. “I’d
Health, Yoga, Parents and Dog Fancy.
had cancer, and I didn’t care if it was mildly
Yes, Portland chiropractor Dr. Mary
eccentric— life is about what matters. I didn’t
Mandeville treats both human and
care if I earned a dime for it," she says earnestly.
canine spines. She’s also treated hors
But this area is crawling with devoted dog
es—although she no longer wants to
people who will sniff out remedies for their
make ham calls— cats, bunnies and
ailing pooch pals, no matter how unusual the
even a rat. And how on earth do
cure. Good word of mouth soon brought
you adjust a rat? “It’s hard, be
Mandeville plenty of furry patients; today,
cause they’re so little,” Mande
about one-fourth of her clients are the four
ville admits, clearly not one to
legged kind. O f those, about 80 percent are
turn tail on a good challenge.
dogs, many of them the larger breeds who suf
And it was one helluva chal
fer from hip dysplasia. And some even come
lenge that inspired Mandeville to
for a doubleheader!
treat animals. About five years ago,
“There are some really sweet things about
Molly, her beloved black Lab mix,
this practice. Sometimes a person and their dog
got hit by a car and lost a leg. Man
will get adjusted together,” Mandeville says
deville was amazed at her recovery.
softly, displaying what must be a very gentle
“She just went, ‘OK I used to
bedside manner. “I also have many
have four legs, now I have
people who’ll bring their dogs
three— life goes on.’ ”
"Sure, it's a little atypical for treatment even though
Still, the chiroprac
*
*
' r
- they’ve never been to a chi
tor could see her dog
to have dogs trooping in and ropractor before.”
was developing other
Not only that, this is
problems as a result of out. But I think they put me in an office where patients
compensating for the
can bring their dogs along
a happier, richer space."
missing leg, and she
just for the company. As
wanted to help. In 1996,
—
Dr. M ary Mandeville Mandeville says, “It’s the per
she found a training program
fect antidote to a typically sterile
in the Midwest for chiropractors and
office environment.”
veterinarians that was run by a woman
She is clear that this was the right evolu
who happens to be both. Mandeville spent
tion for her career. “It has done nothing but
hundreds of hours there learning tech
enrich my practice. Working with patients
niques for working with animals. So how
who don’t use words has deepened my ability
do two such disparate breeds of doctors
to work with humans,” she explains. “Some
find common ground to share?
times words get in the way— it forces me to
“I loved the course and loved that
be more quiet.”
two professions came together without any
Mandeville has moved her office to a won
bitching and moaning,” she explains. She’s
derful old home on Southeast Belmont Street
quick to add, “I’m not a vet, so I work
with a big fenced yard where all the office dogs
with the animal’s vet.” In fact, she only
feel free to romp. Eventually, she’ll convert the
treats animals that are referred by a vet.
garage into a special treatment area for her
Her first patient, of course, was Molly.
animal patients.
Their routine includes range of motion
“Sure, it’s a little atypical to have dogs
exercises and daily physical therapy. “Molly
trooping in and out,” she says with a chuck
can run; she even did the Doggie Dash [an
le. “But I think they put me in a happier,
annual Portland fund-raiserj for a few
richer space.”
years,” Mandeville says proudly. In fact,
And what if the animals took over her prac
Molly ran so well on three legs, a spectator
tice? “I’d miss my people clients, but I’m open
came up to her afterward and pointed out her
to the flow of whatever happens.”
dog was limping; he hadn’t noticed Molly had
Spoken like a true best friend. j n
a good reason for her odd gait.