Fear Free Certification

Fear Free Techniques

At Omemee Veterinary Hospital, you and your pet matter. From the moment you arrive, our goal is to create a calm, welcoming environment where both you and your furry companion feel safe. We use Fear-Free techniques to help make that happen.

To ensure a fear free experience your appointment will begin in your vehicle. Please call a team member upon arrival to our hospital.

To help make visits more positive for your pet, we offer comforting touches like treats, KONG toys, cozy mats, and hiding spots. 

We also use separate areas for cats and dogs whenever possible to minimize interspecies stress, along with gentle handling techniques and sound-reducing strategies.

For particularly nervous pets, we may suggest pre-visit medications and adapt our handling approach to meet their individual needs.

By combining thoughtful design with compassionate care, we aim to make every visit as gentle and stress-free as possible – for both pets and their people.

How We Implement Fear Free

Fear Free principles extend throughout our hospital and we prioritize these second only to the medical care of our patients.

We work with our patients and their owners to undertake the following steps before and during each appointment:

• Good Communication Between Pets & People

  We start by understanding and identifying how pets communicate signs of stress to us. These signs can include a number of subtle and obvious signals, from a tense expression or dilated pupils to growling, hissing or a tucked tail – just to name a few.

  Before an initial appointment, we have our clients fill out a Fear Free Pre-Visit Questionnaire so that we know what your pet's stressors are.

  Getting to know our canine and feline clients and understanding what stresses them out, and how they communicate that stress, helps us better manage it during their visits.

  We ask the family to speak up if there is something that causes fear, anxiety or stress (FAS). We can help!

• Planning Ahead

  An anxiety-free veterinary appointment starts at home. Let us know if your pet gets stressed going to the veterinarian. We can offer suggestions for things to do at home before the visit. There may be options to send supplements or medication home before the visit to help with car sickness or to help decrease the level of stress at the veterinarian.

  If your pet gets stressed coming into the lobby or meeting new people or other animals, we can have you wait in the car or in our outside waiting area, and then come directly into the exam room. We have several entrances to help.

  Let us know if your pet does better with male or female veterinarians.

  Cats and small dogs should be acclimated to their carriers ahead of the visit. This can be accomplished by leaving the carrier out in an area of your home where your pet likes to be. ​Place a towel over the top of the carrier to help create a safe place with familiar scents.

  The carrier should also be outfitted with toys, and comfortable bedding or a non-slip mat. Carriers that have a top-off option are ideal because they are more accessible.

  If transporting a medium to large dog, be sure to use an approved restraint device in the car. The drive to the veterinarian can be kept low-stress with calm music or silence and by avoiding hard stops or starts.

  We also suggest bringing your pet's favourite treats or toys to the visit.

• A Calm, Quiet Environment

  At our veterinary office, we do our best to keep the atmosphere calm, quiet and positive. As dogs and cats are often sensitive to loud noises and quick movements, during the appointment, our veterinary team will remain calm, speak in quiet voices and approach your pet in a slow, careful manner.

  To help reduce your pet's stress in the waiting area, keep cats and dogs separate as much as possible. Cat carriers should be kept off of the floor and on a sturdy table or chair. Keep your dog leashed and close to your side to minimize interaction with other waiting pets.

• Treats & Toys

  To encourage a positive experience and decrease fear, stress and anxiety during the visit, rewards such as treats, toys or petting/brushing can be used during an exam or when obtaining diagnostics as long as it is not contraindicated based on why the pet is at the hospital.

  We have treats throughout the hospital, but if your cat or dog is on a special diet, we encourage you to bring their treats or food with you to the visit.

• Pet Owner Involvement

  Families are allowed to be with their pets during procedures (excluding sedation, anesthesia, X-rays and while the hospital is closed). The staff will direct families on how they can play a part in their pet's treatment to ensure lower stress for the animal and to keep staff and family safe during the procedure.

• Sedation & Restraint Options

  If restraint is required during a procedure, our trained staff may use a towel wrap, a muzzle or an Elizabethan collar to ensure the patient is safe and comfortable during the process. A mild sedative may be recommended to make sure that the procedure can be performed safely and is less stressful for the patient.

  In some cases, we will reschedule a procedure if the pet is stressed. This allows us to send home medications before performing the procedures.

  At our clinic, we follow Fear Free handling techniques to reduce stress and keep your pet as comfortable as possible during their visit.