Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonia Lucas.
Hi Sonia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My love of animals has always been apparent from a young age. When I finally got to college, I pursued a degree to aid me in becoming a zookeeper. I got my first zookeeper job the year after graduating and spent the next five years working in zoos and taking care of all varieties of wildlife. I loved my job but was ready to move on to something new and different that challenged me in a different way. That’s when I decided to leave the zoo world and go back to school to get my Doctorate of Physical Therapy. While applying for schools, I worked as a physical therapy technician in a small but bustling clinic where my love for helping people grew. I was blessed enough to make it into a physical therapy program on my first attempt and was accepted to a wonderful HBCU called Langston University in Oklahoma. It was there at Langston University that one of my favorite professors, Dr. Eddie Traylor, mentioned to the class that animal physical therapy was a unique part of our profession that was growing. My interest was immediately sparked and the thought of coming full circle back to the animal world was intriguing. I had many interests though in PT school and I soon became a part of an online networking and business group that helped entrepreneurs with business mindset and skills.
I met my business mentor in this group and began working for him, providing social media management and consulting. Surprise! My business mentor is a canine PT! I had started my journey into canine rehab, helping other canine physical therapists with their social media and marketing. I continued to do this all the way through PT school learning more and more about the practice of canine rehab through these knowledgeable professionals. After graduating in the beginning of the pandemic, I couldn’t find any jobs and so my dream of becoming a canine rehab therapist was put on hold while I formed my own mobile human physical therapy practice so that I could begin my career as a PT. After a year of treating humans, I knew it was time to start focusing on my initial goal of becoming of a certified canine rehabilitation therapist (CCRT). I was able to complete my certification in less than a year while continuing to work on my own human PT business. I officially opened Austin Canine Rehab & Wellness late last year and have been hitting the ground running ever since.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The initial return to school as a 27 years old was difficult. Everyone else around me in PT School, save a few, were fresh out of undergrad. I had already had a career, an identity that was uniquely me. Giving up zookeeping and working with animals was a very hard decision and one that kept me thinking if I had done the right thing. So when I found out that animal physical therapy was something obtainable to me as a physical therapist, I had to think long and hard about returning to a place that had some difficult memories and feelings attached to it. My mentor wisely told me, “This time you get to work with animals on your terms”. That was the extra push I needed and I have to say that doing what I do is so rewarding. I’m so glad I made the leap to bridge these two worlds that I love, physical therapy and animals.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Austin Canine Rehab & Wellness is a mobile canine rehabilitation practice. Founded on principles of human physical therapy, as a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT), I help dogs suffering from injury or decreased mobility to get back in action. I specialize in helping senior dogs regain their independence and ability to explore Austin with their humans!
As a mobile canine rehab practice, we come to the client and provide rehab in the home which can be great for a lot of dogs depending on their age, mobility, or personality. The approach I like to take is to assess the dog for any pain and address the pain first so that we can get the dog moving better. That’s followed up with a focus any joint mobility or flexibility issues that are affecting the dog and then progressing that with a strengthening program and really working on stability and balance. The strength and stability work are what really helps the dog return to its normal daily function and the activities that they enjoy doing.
If you’ve had any experience with physical therapy yourself, you’ll know that physical therapists are big proponents of utilizing a home exercise program. Just as you or I would not see significant gains in the gym by attending once a week, the same applies to dogs. So I, the therapist, help guide and progress the rehab process while the pet parents work on implementing the home exercise program with their dog each day. This is where the true magic happens, in those 15 min a day you spend bonding with your dog and working with them on their exercises.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Being able to be my own boss, make my own schedule, and determine my worth is what gives me the greatest happiness in my professional life. In my previous jobs, my mental health has suffered from a culture of undervaluing employees, micromanagement and working holidays year over year. The freedom that comes with business ownership provides me the ability to create my own personal version of a perfect job, the key is setting boundaries and sticking to them. The drive for growth cannot overpower the reasons I built my business.
In my personal life… my husband, my dogs, and good food! Some of my happiest moments are spending time with those I love over a delicious plate of food or fun dining experience.
Contact Info:
- Email: austincaninerehab@gmail.com
- Website: www.austincaninerehab.com
- Instagram: @austincaninerehab
- Facebook: Facebook.com/austincaninerehab
Image Credits
Zilker Bark
