What It Means to be Fear Free Certified
The Fear Free approach to veterinary medicine takes your pet’s whole health into concern. It works by identifying any trigger for anxiety and fear in the veterinary setting and modifying or removing it for your pet's comfort. Fear Free also means being able to recognize signs of fear and distress.
At Blue Cross Pet Hospital, all of our staff members are Fear Free Certified Professionals. What’s more is we’ve integrated this approach directly into our practice mindset. As a Fear Free Certified Practice, you can trust that your pet is in gentle, capable hands from the moment they walk through our doors to the moment they leave.
Our Fear Free Approach
Our ultimate goal is to make every pet’s experience a fear-free one. Yet there is no one-size-fits-all method for addressing fear. Our expert team not only uses different methods that suit your pet best, but we will also pay attention to the different aspects of a vet visit that may frighten them more or less than other pets. As we build a relationship with you and your companion, we strive to eliminate fear entirely.
Fear Free Methods
At our practice, we use a variety of methods to help pets feel comfortable with us and enhance their veterinary experience. Some of the methods we may use include:
- Avoiding eye contact with your pet. Dogs especially can see direct eye contact from a stranger as a threat and become aggressive or anxious. To help them get used to us, we’ll address you first and take time to ask you questions about your pet and their health.
- Patience for cats. Cats are notoriously shy, and we try not to force them into anything they don’t want to do. Sometimes that means giving them time to hide and emerge on their own.
- Examining pets where they’re comfortable. Sometimes pets are very uncomfortable with being on an exam table. So, we come to them, performing our exams on the ground, and even in our lap!
- Food motivation. Most pets love treats and are more trusting of those who give them treats. We’ll use your pet’s favorite treats to put them at ease and distract them so we can perform whatever exam or procedure we need to.
Learn More About Fear Free
The best way to learn is to see it for yourself! Call us at (818) 980-1313 to make an appointment at our Fear Free Certified Practice. Additionally, you can read more about the Fear Free Program on their website.
