Dog-friendly status for north London practice as new initiative grows

A north London veterinary practice has become one of the first to be recognised for its canine care under a new accreditation scheme.

The Dog Friendly Clinic programme – a joint project between Dogs Trust and the British Veterinary Behaviour Association (BVBA) – was formally launched at BSAVA Congress in Manchester in March.

The scheme – which aims to make consultations less stressful for dogs, their owners and vets alike – offers training support for all practice staff.

Accredited

Village Vet Hampstead has been formally accredited through the project in recognition of the range of measures introduced to provide better clinical experiences.

The practice now offers an enhanced reception area with visual and physical barriers between dogs, improved kennels, and dog parks for patients that don’t want to be in kennels.

It also offers first aid behavioural advice and pre-visit support for owners, as well as referring cases to accredited behaviourists.

‘Honour’

Lead nurse Domante Semetaite said: “It’s quite an honour to be a member of this scheme.

“Having the dog-friendly title helps us support our patients and clients even further, while developing as a practice.”

Rachel Casey, Dogs Trust’s head of canine behaviour and research, said: “Vet clinics are at the forefront of recognising and preventing the development of problem behaviours in dogs, and this scheme will help them develop the skills and knowledge to optimise the well-being of the dogs in their care.”

Chris Laurence, chairperson for the BVBA, added: “Encouraging welfare-friendly treatment of dogs in veterinary practices is one of our primary objectives so every additional practice means many more dogs will benefit.

“We’re delighted that Village Vet has joined our dog-friendly community. By doing so, they are helping ensure every dog has as positive an experience as possible within their clinic.”