Our Accreditations

Our mission has always been to deliver the highest level of care to our patients and clients. As such, we’ve voluntarily sought out accreditations that align with this mission. We are an AAHA-accredited animal hospital, a Cat-Friendly Practice, and many of our staff are Fear Free Certified Professionals.

black dog sitting on grass

What It Means to be AAHA-Accredited

The American Animal Hospital Association is the leading authority on excellence in veterinary medicine, and the only organization to accredit animal hospitals. At Rutland Veterinary Clinic, we’ve been accredited since 1970. As an accredited hospital, we meet AAHA’s Standards of Excellence and must continue to meet them year after year to remain accredited. These standards cover many aspects of our hospital and services including:

  • Surgical protocols
  • Emergency care
  • Anesthetic protocols
  • Preventive care
  • Vaccinations
  • Client services
  • Patient care
  • Cleanliness and hygiene
  • And so much more

We’re a Cat-Friendly Practice

Cats have very unique needs that differ from their canine counterparts. They require different medicine, handling, and care. As a Cat-Friendly Practice, our facility is built to meet our feline friends’ needs, and our staff has special training to recognize signs of stress in cats and reduce their anxiety. Our goal is to make every vet visit as pleasant as possible for every feline guest (and their owner).

Here are some ways we ensure the comfort of your cat:

  • Using pheromone sprays to encourage a sense of calm
  • Separate lobby away from dogs
  • Cat-only exam rooms
  • Low-stress handling techniques
  • And more

If you have a cat that is often stressed at veterinary visits, please contact us at 802-773-2779. We can give you advice on how to make your cat’s trip to the vet easier on the both of you — not to mention, they’ll be treated with cat-friendly care when they arrive!

comfortable cat at Rutland Veterinary Clinic & Surgical Center

We’re Fear Free Certified Professionals

The majority of our hospital staff are Fear Free Certified Professionals. Fear Free is an initiative to teach not only veterinary professionals but also pet parents how to reduce the stress on pets during veterinary visits, nail trims, baths, and other experiences cats and dogs don’t always take a liking to. As Fear Free Certified Professionals, our staff have been specifically trained to recognize signs of stress in cats and dogs in the veterinary clinic and to alleviate their anxiety with Fear Free techniques.

Fear Free techniques we use include:

  • Focusing on you first and refraining from eye contact with your pet at the start of the exam (this helps reduce feelings of nervousness and allows them to assess their surroundings while we talk to you about their health history).
  • Low-stress handling to reduce any feelings of lost control or being trapped
  • Positive reinforcement to encourage cooperation
  • Food motivation with treats to reward pets and make their experience a pleasant one
  • Calming music to instill a peaceful atmosphere
  • Cat and dog pheromones to help familiarize the clinic setting
  • And more

Call us at 802-773-2779 for more information about our Fear Free care or to make an appointment and experience it for yourself!