Our Story

It all started with Dr. Samantha Peters, PT, DPT, FDNS, CSCS, CCRT.  She grew up with a female Black Lab/Irish Setter mix and knew that she would want to work with animals.  She ended up obtaining her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, her Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist credential through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and then the Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist credential from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute in Coral Springs, Florida.  She has also completed her certification for Functional Dry Needling Specialist through Evidence in Motion.

 

Dr. Peters and her husband currently have three dogs of their own, Chris, Kyle, and Zoey.  Chris and Kyle were adopted from the same litter and are chocolate lab/pit mixes.  About a year later, they adopted a female blue heeler named Sheila.  Shortly thereafter, her boys tore their CCLs (human version of ACLs) and they ended up having TPLO surgeries, which is a very common surgical approach.  She decided it was time to obtain her CCRT to help her boys heal from their surgeries.  They recovered successfully and continue to play and run around like crazy.  Not only did she gain valuable experience from treating her boys, Sheila ended up having a plethora of medical ailments and it just sealed the deal for her to begin formally treating canines and other animals.  From there, she started Happy Paws Rehabilitation and Wellness, LLC, and has helped many domestic and exotic animals recover from injury and illness.  Sadly, Sheila has since crossed over the Rainbow Bridge surrounded by her loving family.  In early 2022, Dr. Peters and her husband welcomed the newest addition to their family, a gorgeous husky, named Zoey.  Since adopting her energetic, sly, and sneaky husky puppy, she has focused on wellness of even puppies!  Aside from those sharp puppy teeth, everyone has a blast!

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Contact us today to see how we can help your pet!