What Does it Mean to Be a Fear Free Certified® Vet?

Let’s imagine a visit to the veterinarian through the eyes of your pet.

We throw our dog or cat in the car (sometimes a crate depending on the animal) without warning.

They don’t know where they are going and maybe they feel car sick or nervous because the last experience they had in the car was unpleasant.

You arrive at the vet and you start to feel your own heart rate rising. You hate bringing your fur baby here because you feel embarrassed about your pet’s behavior and guilty that they are so stressed out, but obviously, you need veterinary care.

As you start to feel your own nerves reaching the “red zone,” you notice your dog starts whining or your cat starts meowing loudly and that’s when you know that they know: What is about to happen is not fun.

You lure your animal out of the car or pick them up and force them inside. Often, the bright white lighting and sterile smell even makes you want to cringe. 

Not to mention, the other stressed out animals sitting in the waiting room who are now impacting your pet.

If your pet wasn’t stressed to begin with, they likely are now. You can’t help but wonder how it all spiraled downhill so quickly, when you’re really just trying to give your pet the best care possible by taking them to the vet in the first place.

What if there was a better way?

What is a Fear Free® Vet?

The Fear Free movement was founded in 2016 by Dr. Marty Becker, who is often referred to as “America’s Veterinarian.”

According to Fear Free pets, the mission of the program “is to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets by inspiring and educating the people who care for them.” 

If you’ve ever found yourself saying something like this when you go to the vet, 

• “I’ve never seen my dog (or cat) act like this.”
• “I don’t know what happened. They’re never like this.”

then, a Fear Free veterinary clinic is the answer for you!

A Fear Free Certified® Vet has completed an online certification program through Fear Free Pets and commits to annual continuing education. 

Why Choose a Fear Free Certified Veterinarian?

The concept behind Fear Free is that when animals are calm and feel safe, your veterinary team is able to obtain better information. 

Your pet’s vital signs will be more accurate (no more heart racing!) and your vet will be able to run their hands over your pet’s body and check out areas of concern without being rushed or put in a dangerous situation. 

For example, if your dog or cat is hissing or growling while the vet is trying to look at a wound or a limb, your vet may not be able to thoroughly investigate that area. 

By creating a nonthreatening, calming environment, Fear Free veterinary professionals are better able to practice medicine and provide better treatment. After all, everyone in veterinary medicine got into the field because they love animals and want to serve them, but they have to be able to reach the animals safely and effectively. 

What Does a Fear Free Vet Clinic Look Like?

According to Dr. Kris Latson, Revel Vet Co-Founder, a Fear Free Certified clinic creates procedures, techniques and an environment that allow pets to feel comfortable.

This comes in many flavors, but can look like:

• Using pheromones to calm dogs or cats. Pheromones can be sprayed on a bandana and placed in a cat carrier or tied around a dog’s neck.
• Using gentle restraint methods with pets or distracting them with treats so that the veterinary staff can get done what they need to get done without causing stress.
• Use gentler approaches during treatments and surgeries (even while a pet is under anesthesia). For instance, if a pet is having their teeth cleaned, traditional methods have used pieces of equipment to keep the mouth open. As the field learns more, we have discovered that that equipment is not always the most gentle, so a Fear Free practice will use alternative techniques.
• Implementing non-slip rugs on the exam table so that cats feel secure.
• Separate dog and cat waiting rooms to minimize stress to either species.
• Using color to soothe animals.

Dr. Kris explains, “Dogs and cats are colorblind and we have learned that bright colors, like orange and red, show up for them as gray, which is not very inviting. Pastel colors, such as light blues, lavenders and lighter greens, are the most soothing colors for pets.”

“Animals perceive the typical white lab coats or scrubs worn by vets and veterinary nurses as a bright light, which can be off-putting. So, at Revel, we’re only using blues, purples and other animal-friendly colors in our wardrobe and on our walls.”

Book an Appointment with a Fear Free Vet Clinic

Now that you understand the Fear Free vet meaning, you are probably wondering how to book your first appointment! 

Luckily, Revel Vet is a Fear Free Certified Clinic and has Fear Free Veterinarians on staff. When it comes to your pets, we don’t miss an opportunity to make a difference. No matter how small or large the consideration, you can be sure that we have put our hearts into designing a clinic that provides you and your pet with a Fear Free experience.