Why Choose a Fear Free Certified® Professional 
For many pets and their owners, going to the veterinarian can cause fear, anxiety, and stress. But when you choose a veterinary professional who is Fear Free Certified, you can rest assured they will be doing their best to reduce your pet’s stress while also promoting their happiness and wellbeing.
A Fear Free Veterinary Visit
Things our team may do to create a fear free environment:
- Utilize treats to create a positive emotional response and distract a pet during treatment
- Examine a pet in their owner’s lap, in their carrier or on the floor
- Create a calming environment with pheromone therapy
- Prescribe anti-anxiety or other calming medications and supplements
- Delay or postpone the exam or other procedures until a time when your pet is calmer and more relaxed if they are showing excessive signs of fear, anxiety, and stress
5 Ways You Can Help Make the Veterinary Visit Fear Free for Your Pet
1. Prep your pet
Positively accustom your pet to their carrier or restraint device and condition happy experiences in the vehicle.
2. Limit food before the appointment unless medically contraindicated
Bringing pets in hungry increases the reward value of food during the visit to better condition your pet to the positives of care.
3. Bring in high value treats/toys
Having your pet’s favorite treats or toys available for staff to give during an exam is a great way to improve their relationship with the vet team and their association with coming to the vet overall.
4. Be open to non-traditional techniques
This can include not taking your pet’s temperature, examining your pet in your lap or on the floor, and using treat and toy coaxers to move animals willingly onto the scale, into the exam room, and onto the table.
5. Consider new strategies
In many cases, pets will benefit tremendously from pre-visit medications, supplements, or sedatives, as well as conditioning your pet to aspects of vet care prior to the next visit.