Dr. Marty Becker “Founder of Fear Free”

Fear Free goals are:

1. Insuring everyone who works with animals—practitioners, producers, pet parents, researchers, etc.—look after both the physical and emotional well-being of animals.

2. Insuring everyone knows animals have emotions and feel pain. 

3. Working to improve animal handling of all species.

Fear Free started out with a goal to just help veterinarians match up with the sacred oath we take to “prevent or relieve animal pain and suffering.” The reality was we were often causing pain and suffering by what we were doing or not doing. 

Doing as in brutal animal handling techniques, continuing procedures on animals in extreme emotional distress, and not addressing animals #1 fear from birth, the fear of falling (putting dogs and cats up on slippery elevated tables, not addressing slippery animal handing equipment). Not doing as not thinking of sedation as a first option not a last resort, underdiagnosing and undertreating pain, and embracing the Five Domains of animals.

Where Fear Free started out with the noble goal of helping us live up to our veterinary oath, we quickly found out there were other invaluable benefits:

1. Better medicine – With calm animals, the vital signs are more normal, the diagnostic tests more accurate, animals don’t hide pain & sensitivity, and immunosuppression which delays healing and recovery is reduced.

2. Fewer injuries – Because you are taking steps to remove or reduce fear, anxiety and stress (FAS) triggers and mitigate FAS when it rises, injuries to people drop over 50% according to studies. 

3. Increased retention – A study by NAVTA showed that after five years, six-out-of-ten veterinary technicians had left practice with the #1 reason being the perceived brutality of practice. Studies show Fear Free increases staff retention as vet techs aren’t human squeeze chutes and don’t participate in dog-pile or rugby scrum restraint.

4. Increased KPIs and profits – White papers show a great impact on the bottom line.

5. Practice like you dreamed of – When animals are calm, when pets drag their moms and dads into the practice because we “put the treat into treatment,” practice is fun!

It’s been said Fear Free was born in an instant, took five years to develop, and was an overnight success. Here are some highlights:

1. Fear Free’s programs and courses have provided more than 390,000 veterinary professionals, pet professionals, animal welfare communities, and pet owners in 120 countries with the knowledge and tools to look after both a pet’s physical and emotional wellbeing.

2. 130,000 individuals have completed our five-hour shelter course.

3. Today there are Fear Free certified practices in 5 countries and practices in the process of becoming Fear Free Certified in another 9 countries. 

4. Almost all 300 AVMA accredited veterinary technician schools and about ¾ of all the veterinary schools in the US require or strongly recommend Fear Free certification of students before graduation (Just in 2024, almost 20,000 veterinary students have started the online certification process). Upon graduation, these students want to work in practices that embrace the Fear Free protocols and culture.

Famed Temple Grandin PhD is Fear Free's Director of Animal Welfare. Temple and several of the top veterinary schools in the US and producer organizations are starting work on bringing Fear Free to animals used for food and fiber. The goal is to develop a line of food products from animals that had what is being called, "A Life Worth Living."

If you're not already familiar with it, look up the "Five Domains of Animals." In this thesis, animals not only have the former "Five Freedoms of Animals," but also get to experience behaviors pleasurable for the species.  The desire for animals used for food or fiber to have a better life---for those who care for them to look after both their physical and emotional wellbeing—is being legislated and desired by Millennials and Gen-Z. California Prop 12 passed by a 70% margin.  Looking after both the physical and emotional wellbeing of animals is not just the right thing to do, a) it is a major factor in sustainability, and b) results in higher yields (more milk, better weight gain, etc.).

For more information, go to fearfree.com