Meet the Active Paws Team
Meet our internationally qualified and highly trained practitioners.
Our team are dog people and are available to discuss how they can individualise a recovery program to suit your dog.
Sonia Petrack - Director
Canine Hydrotherapy & Rehabilitation Specialist, Canine Conditioning & Fitness Instructor (CCFC), Certified Trick (CTDI) & Agility Dog Instructor, member of the Australian Canine Rehabilitation Association (ACRA).
Sonia’s passion is to establish opportunities for canine caretakers to choose individualized progressive Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Fitness & Conditioning and Sporting options for the special canine souls in their care.
Working and training dogs for over 15 years, Sonia has a passion for dog training, dog sports, canine fitness, conditioning and rehabilitation. She is an Agility, Dances With Dogs and Trick Dog trainer and competitor, attaining the title of ‘Australian Agility Champion’ with her Border Collie ‘Jet’. The team were also National Teams Champions at the Agility Nationals. Two of Sonia’s dogs, ’Kia’ and ‘Jet’, are International Trick Dog Champions and have attained ‘QLD Agility and Jumping Dog of the Year’ ANKC titles for successive years.
Sonia is also currently competing in Dances With Dogs with her beautiful young Border Collie ‘Indigo’, gaining a 1st place at the Border Collie Nationals 2024 in Freestyle, and a 2nd place in Freestyle at the ANKC 2024 Dog Sport Nationals.
Many of Sonia’s students are currently competing within the ANKC circuit or completing their International Trick/Fitness titles.
Sonia’s passion is to establish opportunities for canine caretakers to choose individualized progressive Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Fitness & Conditioning and Sporting options for the special canine souls in their care.
Working and training dogs for over 12 years, Sonia has a passion for dog training, dog sports, canine fitness, conditioning and rehabilitation. She is an Agility and Trick Dog trainer and competitor, attaining the title of ‘Australian Agility Champion’ with her Border Collie ‘Jet’. The team were also National Teams Champions at the Agility Nationals. Both of Sonia’s dogs, ’Kia’ and ‘Jet’, are International Trick Dog Champions and have attained ‘QLD Dog of the Year’ ANKC titles for successive years.
Many of Sonia’s students are currently competing within the ANKC circuit or completing their International Trick/Fitness titles.
Lynne Harrison - Physiotherapist
BSc (Hons), MSc (Vet. Phty)
APAM MCSP ACPAT Cat. A
Member of Australian Physiotherapy Association (APAM)
National Chair of the APA Animal Physiotherapy Group
Lynne is an internationally qualified Physiotherapist, a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APAM) and National Chair of the APA Animal Physiotherapy Group. She is also a Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (MCSP) in the UK.
Lynne qualified as a Physiotherapist in the UK in 2002 after completing her first degree in Biomedical Sciences. She worked for over 10 years as a senior musculoskeletal physiotherapist in the UK and Australia before transitioning into animal physiotherapy. Following completion of her Master of Science in Veterinary Physiotherapy at the University of Liverpool, UK, Lynne has now extended her scope of practice in to the animal patient.
Lynne lives and works on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. She is a triathlete and surf lifesaver at Noosa Heads SLSC.
Gracie Ellis - Physiotherapist
Qualifications
BSc (Hons), MSc (Vet. Phty)
Gracie is a Sunshine Coast based qualified Animal Physiotherapist. She completed her Bachelor of Physiotherapy with Honors from the University of Queensland in 2017. Gracie has gone on to hold a post-graduate diploma in Veterinary physiotherapy in order to pursue her love of working with animals. Her other qualifications include advanced dry needling and Pilates instructors certification.
After working in human musculoskeletal private practice for several years, with a focus on sports injuries, post-operative rehabilitation, and women’s health, Gracie enjoys the challenge of working with animals.
Gracie loves working with both dogs and horses. An upbringing on a farm in Tasmania nurtured an interest for working dogs and the overuse injuries they acquire, but she also holds a soft spot for the family golden retriever and enjoys treating common domestic orthopedic conditions such as hip dysplasia and CCL injuries. Gracie has a background in Equestrian Dressage and Eventing, making the national youth dressage squad in 2010.
Outside of animal work, Gracie loves to get outside and enjoy our beautiful backyard. Whether it be overnight hiking, surfing, camping, or going to the beach, you can count on finding Gracie outside in her spare time. Fun Fact: Gracie recently finished her first individual Triathlon!
Hydrotherapy & Physiotherapy For Your Dog Using The Latest Technology
Active Paws Rehabilitation and Fitness are centrally located in Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast. Our fully trained and highly qualified experts are passionate about delivering the most effective injury management, post-surgical rehabilitation treatments and fitness and conditioning training for your dog.