The American Animal Hospital Association is the only organization to accredit companion animal veterinary hospitals. Our accredited hospitals hold themselves to a higher standard. Pets are their passion, and keeping them healthy is their #1 priority. They strive to deliver excellent care for pets. Why? Because pets deserve nothing less.
AAHA
What is AAHA and what does it mean to be accredited?
AAHA, which stands for the American Animal Hospital Association, is “the only organization to accredit companion veterinary hospitals. The hospitals accredited by AAHA are held to a higher set of standards to earn the accreditation. The number one priority of AAHA hospitals is keeping pets healthy and they strive to achieve this with excellent care.
What standards is a hospital looking at to accredit them?
From the AAHA website:
“To become accredited, companion animal hospitals undergo regular comprehensive evaluations by AAHA veterinary experts who evaluate the practice on approximately 900 standards of veterinary care. The Association also develops other publications and educational programs and resources designed to help companion animal hospitals thrive. The AAHA membership philosophy is team-focused, allowing every hospital staff member, from veterinarians to receptionists, to benefit from AAHA’s resources through one group membership. Today, over 3,700 practice teams (12-15 % of all veterinary practices in the United States and Canada) are AAHA accredited.”
AAHA’s Mission is to:
- Enhance the abilities of veterinarians to provide quality medical care to companion animals
- Enable veterinarians to successfully conduct their practices and maintain their facilities with high standards of excellence
- Meet the public’s needs as they relate to the delivery of small animal veterinary medicine
What does it mean for you and your pet that we are an AAHA accredited hospital?
In human medicine, hospitals need to have some sort of accreditation. In the veterinary world, not all animal hospitals are required to have AAHA accreditation. For you and your pet, when your veterinary hospital is accredited, “it means your hospital holds itself to a higher standard, and that your pet is receiving care at a hospital that has passed the highest standards in veterinary care.”
To find out more about AAHA and its standards and guidelines please CLICK HERE.
Fear Free
The Fear Free 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.
What is Fear Free?
From the Fear Free website:
Founded in 2016, Fear Free provides online education to veterinary professionals, pet professionals, animal welfare communities, and pet owners. Our courses are developed and written by the most respected veterinary and pet experts in the world, including boarded veterinary behaviorists, boarded veterinary anesthesiologists, pain experts, boarded veterinary internists, veterinary technicians (behavior), experts in shelter medicine, animal training, grooming, boarding, and more.
With all the false (and harmful!) pet information on the internet, Fear Free aims to keep veterinary healthcare teams and pet professionals at the forefront as the true pet health experts. By closely listening to the needs of the profession and those of the new generation of pet owners, Fear Free has become one of the single most transformative initiatives in the history of companion animal practice, providing unparalleled education on emotional wellbeing, enrichment, and the reduction of fear, anxiety, and stress in pets and improving the experience of every human and pet involved.
For more information on Fear Free practices and certifications CLICK HERE
