As responsible pet owners, we ensure our pets receive the veterinary care they need to stay healthy and happy. But, let’s be honest— not all pets enjoy veterinary attention, and some become stressed and anxious when they visit the veterinary clinic. Fortunately, the veterinary profession is not only evolving in medical care standards but also paying closer attention to pets’ emotional well-being. 

Fear-Free Veterinary Practices focus on preventing and alleviating fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) in pets during veterinary visits. The Fear-Free certification, developed in 2016 by Dr. Marty Becker and a team of veterinary behavior experts, has paved the way for our profession to deliver stress-free veterinary care to our pets. MAC Animal Clinic, which is proud to be a Fear-Free Certified Practice, describes our approach to veterinary care.

What is a Fear-Free Certified Veterinary Practice? 

At a Fear-Free Certified Practice, pets are more likely to be calm and cooperative, which allows our veterinary team to deliver better care. When your pet is comfortable, we gain a more accurate picture of their health, which aids in diagnosis and treatment. In addition, by considering your pet’s emotional well-being, we can provide a higher level of care without triggering stress or requiring sedation.

A Fear-Free Certified Veterinary Practice can accomplish more, because the practice team has received additional training in four categories of standards and implemented processes and procedures that focus on creating a calm, stress-free environment, ensuring our pet patients’ emotional and physical well-being and that our clients are comfortable with their pet’s veterinary experience. Every few years, a Fear-Free Certified consultant conducts a virtual on-site inspection to ensure our practice continues to meet these high standards.

The categories for the Fear-Free standards include: 

• Workflow and patient care
• Facilities
• Team support
• Client and community education 

Our team members support a safe and comfortable vet visit for your pet, from your home, to the car, the lobby, the exam room, the treatment area, the patient housing, and at discharge. All these efforts focus on recognizing and reducing your pet’s FAS response. 

• Workflow and patient care — Team members have completed additional training in techniques that minimize stress, such as positive reinforcement, treats, and pheromones, minimal interactions with other pets, gentle restraint and handling, and specific protocols for monitoring, addressing, and reducing patient pain. 
• Strategic booking — From the first time you call, we listen to your concerns to start minimizing your pet’s stress. Each visit is personalized to your pet. For example, we provide the treats your pet enjoys, and if your pet is dog reactive, we try and ensure no dogs are around when your pet visits our clinic.
• Facilities — The practice provides stress-reducing equipment, including platforms for elevating cat carriers, non-slip floors, visual barriers so pets cannot see each other, calming pheromones, an assortment of high-value treats, calming music or white noise, soft lighting, species-specific exam rooms and kennels, and separate machinery from patient housing.  
• Team support — The practice provides training and team meetings where staff continue to learn and implement Fear-Free principles and handling techniques. 
• Client and community education — Clients are also educated on Fear-Free principles, including what they can expect at a Fear-Free visit, ways to transport pets to and from appointments, training and behavior tips, and working with pets at home using Fear-Free techniques.

Reducing fear and anxiety in pets can positively impact their behavior and overall health. Pets who are less stressed during veterinary visits are more likely to be calm and cooperative and the visit will be less traumatic for them and the veterinary team. Additionally, less fear and anxiety can improve a pet’s overall health, since chronic stress can suppress the immune system and cause certain health conditions. At Fear-Free Certified Practices, pet owners can be confident that their beloved companions are being cared for in a way that minimizes stress and maximizes their well-being.

Fear-Free Certified Practices and Veterinary Team Members

Fear-Free Practice teams have realized that implementing processes and protocols that calm patients’ fear and anxiety benefits not only pets but also those who work with them. The veterinary team can more easily provide care to a calm pet, and studies show that veterinary professionals who work with less stressed patients are also happier and have a better quality of work life. This, in turn, benefits pets, because they can sense that those who are caring for them are calmer and more empathetic.

Fear-Free Certified Practices and Pet Owners

Fear-Free Certified Vet clinics that have created a supportive, calm environment provide pet owners with peace of mind when they see that their pet isn’t as stressed at the veterinary visit. These clinics prioritize minimizing pet stress and anxiety from the moment the pet enters the clinic until the visit ends. Pet owners who know their pets are receiving care in a Fear-Free setting feel reassured and confident that their pet’s emotional and physical well-being is prioritized, which takes the worry out of veterinary care. Fear-Free clinics also educate pet owners on their Fear-Free principles, providing them with valuable tips and resources they can use at home to enhance their pet’s well-being.

When you choose a Fear-Free Certified Veterinary Practice, you know your pet will receive the best care in a calming and supportive environment. Look for the Fear-Free logo on a practice’s website, because only certified practices are allowed to display the logo. 

Our MAC Animal Clinic team is extremely proud of our Fear-Free certification and we encourage you to schedule an appointment to see for yourself the exceptional care we will provide to your pet. You can also learn more by checking out the Fear-Free page on our website.