Harbor Point Animal Hospital Achieves Fear Free Certification

MOORESVILLE, N.C. - March 22, 2019 - PRLog -- Fear Free is a new concept in veterinary medicine which aims to take the "pet out of petrified" by recognizing and alleviating fear, anxiety and stress (FAS) in pets associated with their visits to the veterinary hospital.

Harbor Point Animal Hospital (HPAH) at 694 Brawley School Road in Mooresville is one of only three veterinary hospitals in North Carolina to achieve Fear Free certification and the only AAHA accredited animal hospital in Mooresville.  Established in 2016, the Fear Free movement is becoming more sought after both by pet owners and members of the veterinary field.  It requires a team approach to safeguard the emotional well-being of pet patients, their owners, and hospital staff to keep pets comfortable and relaxed from arrival to departure.

In order to become a certified practice, HPAH had to successfully implement Fear Free into all aspects of their business to meet Fear Free certification standards, such as hospital design to handling, to medical practices and protocols.  For example, having a separate cat exam room that dogs never enter, helps eliminate odors from other animals that may increase fear and stress in a cat.

"Patient visits are full of thoughtful details to alleviate fear, anxiety and stress, beginning with calming pheromones and soothing music in the boarding and recovery areas," says Veterinarian, Dr. Jamie Laity.  "We've implemented minimal restraint techniques and offer lots of tasty treats so we're able to distract our patients from unpleasant procedures to help minimize discomfort."  If necessary, HPAH can promote the use of pre-visit medication to help pets relax or to prevent nausea from car rides.  They can tailor their medical care to the specific needs of each pet.  "Our goal is to limit negative experiences to prevent animals from associating these feelings with veterinary visits," adds Dr. Laity.

To learn more about the Fear Free movement and how Harbor Point Animal Hospital is changing the way pets see the vet, please visit http://www.harborpointanimalhospital.com and click on the Fear Free tab or call 704-230-0858.