FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Taking pets to the vet can be stressful, which is why Drs. Sarah Hantz and Heather Williams opened Mount Comfort Veterinary Care.
The two animal doctors worked at other clinics around the area but noticed one issue for their patients.
"Animals don't typically love going to the vet," Hantz said. "Their reaction can either be, you know, just strict fear, like fight or flight, or sometimes it is fight, and so you're having to try and not get bitten or scratched."
They've adopted the Fear Free initiative at their clinic. According to Fear Free's website, the group's "programs and courses provide veterinary professionals, pet professionals, animal welfare communities, and pet owners with the knowledge and tools to look after both a pet’s physical and emotional wellbeing."
"It's not only a movement that helps the animals, it's also really helpful for owners," Hantz said. "Decreasing the stress at that point also really helps with the staff."
To start, they've made careful decisions about their building's flow. Mount Comfort has separate entrances for dogs and cats and provides spaces that have never mixed the species. The Fayetteville clinic also has a courtyard on their property. In their design, they've been careful with the colors of the clinic, making sure one color is removed from the animal doctor's office.
"We don't wear white coats because white, stark white, can cause some fear in animals," Hantz said.
Staff go through extra online training and the clinic itself had to prove itself as a Fear Free Certification Specialist.
"We showed her the clinic. She came in and watched us do exams on animals. She interviewed staff and asked them a series of questions. And then at the end of that, we were reviewed and then given the certification," Hantz explained.
All their steps have been to ensure that while healing, there's peace and comfort at Mount Comfort. Hantz said she and Williams knew it was a great idea, but that she was "really, really, really pleasantly surprised."
"Owners just saying how they've never seen their animal be so relaxed in a situation," Hantz said. "Some dog owners will say how their dog ... starts wagging its tail when they pull in the parking lot, instead of, like jumping underneath the chair trying to get away."
While there are Fear Free certified professionals in Arkansas, the Fear Free website shows Mount Comfort is the only Fear Free certified practice in the state. Hantz said they also employ the help of owner participation to make the best decisions for the pets' healthcare and lifestyle.
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