Welcome to your Fear Free Veterinary Visit!

Cherry Ridge Vet Clinic is a Fear Free veterinary hospital and is proud to announce that many of our staff are Fear Free certified and all of our staff embrace the Fear free concepts. 

What is Fear Free? 

Fear Free is the approach taken by our veterinarians and our entire veterinarian team to help our patients have a positive experience with us and to avoid fear, stress, and anxiety. In short, we are paying attention to the emotional well-being of our patients as well as their medical, surgical, and dental needs. 

Studies have shown that 25-50% of dogs and cats get stressed when they go to a veterinary hospital. We are committed to changing that and feel that there is a better way for our beloved dogs and cats. We at the Cherry Ridge Veterinary Clinic employ a softer, gentler, and better approach and it works! We make a true difference everyday by accepting and using Fear Free techniques. It makes our patients happier with less fear, stress and anxiety. 

At CRVC, our goal is to make your visit as enjoyable as possible for both you and your pet. Here are some things you may notice at your visit:

  • You may be asked to sit with your pet for a few minutes in the exam room. This allows your pet to get familiar and comfortable with the environment, before we start our appointment 
  • The music you hear in the exam room has been studied by behaviorists, and found to help decrease stress and anxiety in animals. Pets who are calm and relaxed enjoy lower stress levels and heal faster, plus they are less likely to experience complications from treatments or operations
  • At times, you may notice a softer tone in our voice as we try our best to create an environment and atmosphere comfortable for your pet
  • Treats, treats, treats! We will give plenty of treats to your pet during their visit, as long as it is medically appropriate-pairing reinforcement with your visit will help make this a happy place for your pet. If your pet has a favorite treat, feel free to bring a baggy full of treats with you to their exam 
  • You may notice a plug-in in the wall - this is not a scented plug-in, but rather is dispensing calming pheromones (chemical signals) that only dogs (Adaptil) and cats (Feliway) can detect. This will help signal to them that this is a safe place, and decrease their stress response
  • We hope to examine your pet where it is most comfortable for them. This may mean doing our exam on the exam table, on the floor, or with your pet sitting in your lap
  • We plan to use distraction techniques, wherever possible, to distract your pet's attention from any procedure we have to perform, such as vaccinations
  • We encourage all of our clients to come in and visit us with your pet between your scheduled appointments for what we call Happy Visits. We will give your pet lots of love and treats galore, so that they can get to know us and get excited about coming to see us
  • Animals that are very fearful or anxious about coming to the veterinarian, may benefit from a "chill pill" given to them prior to your visit. There are also natural products available. For highly anxious patients, stronger medications are available. We are happy to discuss all the options for your unique pet

Location

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Office Hours

Monday

7:30 am - 7:30 pm

Tuesday

7:30 am - 5:30 pm

Wednesday

7:30 am - 5:30 pm

Thursday

7:30 am - 7:30 pm

Friday

7:30 am - 5:30 pm

Saturday

7:30 am - 12:00 pm

Sunday

Closed

Monday
7:30 am - 7:30 pm
Tuesday
7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Wednesday
7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Thursday
7:30 am - 7:30 pm
Friday
7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Saturday
7:30 am - 12:00 pm
Sunday
Closed