by KYW's John McDevitt

Animals in Philadelphia shelters looking for a home are getting a helping hand by volunteers using a Japanese technique for stress reduction. The new effort is aimed at making the animals more adoptable.

Practitioners from the Reiki School and Clinic on Fourth Street near South Street have administered Reiki to about 200 dogs and other animals at Pacca and Paws facilities.

Reiki master Kimberly Fleisher started to work with animals about four months ago in hopes they would become more relaxed and calm:

"The reports that we 've been getting is about 85 to 90% of the animals that we work with get adopted or fostered within two weeks of us putting our hands on them."

So what is Reiki?

"Reiki is a modality that is Japanese. It's in the same family you can say with acupuncture massage but it's primary characteristic is that it's non-manipulative. So it involves really light touch and energy work."

For more information, go tothereikischool.com.