Someone You Should Know: Dog Massage Therapist
CHICAGO (CBS) –- Katie Mehrtens agrees her job sounds a little weird.
"Who's heard of pet massage?" she tells CBS 2's Harry Porterfield.
But she considers it the greatest job in the world. Katie is someone you should know, CBS 2's Harry Porterfield reports.
Katie is a woman of many pursuits and was once a special education teacher. But her true calling is as a certified animal massage therapist.
"Some of the dogs are healthy and don't have health concerns. They just get massaged for their overall well-being," she says. "But a lot of them have challenges."
Katie has had her own health challenges. She has had two pancreas transplants, kidney disease and once broke her legs while skydiving. She also has had several eye surgeries.
"I lost the majority of my vision when I was about 29," she says.
Sasha, one of Katie's regular patients, also is blind.
"Because she's blind, she runs into things a lot and so she gets a very tight neck," Katie says.
Owner Judy Schlaeger says Sasha looks forward to her treatment.
"When Katie comes in the house, Sasha lays down on her dog bed and just rolls over and waits for Katie to get to work," she says
Katie was working at Spash Dog Inc. in Des Plaines when Porterfield interviewed her.
"I love that the dogs are happy," she says. "I feel like I'm doing a good service, and I love that."
