Fear Free: A Transformative Initiative for Veterinary Professionals

As veterinary professionals, we know that visits to our hospitals are declining—and we know that the stress and anxiety associated with taking a pet to the veterinarian is a significant reason why. Fear leads to trauma for our patients, and as a result, pet owners visit their veterinarian less often or not at all, instead opting to seek advice and products from other sources.

Fortunately, there is a solution that can resolve this downward trend, restore trust in veterinarians as the true pet health experts, and most importantly, reduce feelings of stress, resulting in a better experience for all involved, including pets, owners, and veterinary health care teams: Fear Free℠ veterinary visits.

What do you get with Fear Free Certification?

Fear Free offers an exclusive membership with the certification program, which needs to be renewed annually in order to keep certification active and continue to gain access an amazing range of additional benefits:

100% of Fear Free CE is RACE approved

The Fear Free Certification Program, Level 2, Level 3 and all of our other courses offered to members are written by renowned experts and thus RACE approved. In addition, the Fear Free Certification program is eligible for seven hours of CVPM-qualified CE through the VHMA.

Fear Free Educational Library

Get access to articles, videos, and podcasts about Fear Free topics, including implementation recommendations and best practices.

Additional Free and Discounted CE Courses

Additional RACE approved CE courses offered complimentary or at discounted rates.

Fear Free Podcast Series

In our Fear Free podcast series, we help you make the most of your certification. Featuring discussions with Fear Free certified professionals that are on the forefront of Fear Free, you can hear real world examples, advice, insights and more.

Marketing Materials

Promote your achievement by using the Fear Free logo on lab coats, business cards, your practice website, and client communication materials.

Fear Free Toolbox

Find downloadable forms to help implement Fear Free techniques in your practice, including CSR training lists, drug charts, and client communication posters.

Private Facebook Group

Leverage the Fear Free community to problem ask for advice, solve tough cases, share tips, and participate in fun contests.

Get featured in our directory

With more than 37,000 Fear Free registered professionals and growing, Fear Free is on its way to becoming a household name. After becoming certified, your name will be featured in our consumer facing directory, where millions of pet owners can find you when seeking out Fear Free care for their pet.

37,142

Individuals Registered

22,640

Individuals Certified

226,979

Hours of Fear Free CE Gained

Why Fear Free?

It’s the right thing to do

Fear Free helps professionals deliver better care to their patients by looking after the physical and emotional well-being of their patients.

Your staff will love it

Improved job satisfaction, safer work environments and better team communication are some of Fear Free’s perks.

It’s better medicine

Vital sign readings are more accurate, enabling veterinarians to provide better diagnosis and treatment options.

It’s better business

Increased frequency of visits, client referrals, and pet owners actively searching for certified professionals will put your business at the forefront in your community.

What your peers are saying about Fear Free

Utilizing Fear Free techniques, we can advance our own practices and the way we serve our communities. This is not a standalone commodity, but rather, one that complements our medical practice. Better medicine provides us with an opportunity to improve on our daily service to our clients and the pets we provide comfort to. You can practice good medicine, but if you want to practice great medicine then incorporate Fear Free medicine into your practice

Stephen J. Ettinger, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM, Cardiology)

Noncompliance is a major problem in veterinary medicine. It’s not our job just to send them home with medicine; it’s our job to send them home with Fear Free strategies for how to get those treatments completed to get the pets well.

Monique Feyrecilde, LVT, VTS (Behavior)

Fear Free is perhaps the most important advance that has happened in our profession because it allows veterinarians and other members of the veterinary health care team to do what their heart desires—to provide health and wellness by creating a nonthreatening, nonchallenging, calming environment.