This is our story...
I'm Dr. Edriana Bougrat Fermin DPT, CCRT, but my friends call me Edi, and you can too!
I was born in Venezuela & moved to Michigan at 17 years old to learn English & pursue higher education. In 2012 I graduated from Grand Valley State University (Go Lakers!) with a Clinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy, moved to Florida & started working within what I thought was my passion: outpatient orthopedics.
On January 12, 2013 I found this sweet, old, & very rough-looking long haired dachshund wandering along the side of a busy road. His story is very long, so I'll save you the details, but let me just say that the moment I put him in my car OUR lives changed forever.
Gerard James or GingerBeast as I affectionally called him, was already estimated to be around 14-15 years old. He was slow, almost deaf & had a questionable sense of sight. With the years, his aging really started to show...doggie diapers, complete deafness & blindness eventually set in. Enjoying daily walks, using the steps onto the couch, and exploring the outdoors were a thing of the past. Several vets, specialists, and meds later, Gerard's quality of life continued to decline in spite of my efforts to avoid it (and my denial). Physical therapy for dogs was an option; I could get him rehabilitation but wait...there was no one around us providing it.
I wanted to help my old guy so bad that I pursued my certification through the Canine Rehabilitation Institute, practiced new skills with him as I moved along the program & about 6 months later I was a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT)!
By then it was too late... Gerard was about 19 years old & suffering. So, on August 18th, 2018 the GingerBeast went to walk amongst the doggy angels. The hardest decision & day of my life by far!
What to do now with CCRT lined up at the end of my name? Well...there still was no one helping dogs like Gerard & pawrents like me in Kissimmee & nearby areas. So, I decided to do something about this and Unleashed Rehab was born.
In honor of my beloved Gerard, I vow to use my knowledge, experiences, & skills to help dogs in need enjoy the active life they deserve & prolong their healthy years without the need for pain killers, before it's too late! In his memory, I vow to help dog parents give their fur-kids the best life & return to the activities they love most, through what I learned from CRI, pawrenting a 19-20 year old dog & the challenges we overcame. Now, THIS IS my true passion!
If you & your dog are facing daily challenges due to pain, aging, surgery, or injury, I am only one click or call away! We stand ready to come to the comfort of your home to help you & your dog live happy & longer!
