Foundation Cracks at Fear Free?
When I was a new dog owner (I don’t love the term “owner,” but it’s easily recognized so I’ll go with it for now), I ran across an ad for “anesthesia-free teeth cleaning” services for dogs. I was intrigued. It cost less, it was fast, and it avoided the risks that are inherent with the use of general anesthesia. So, I gave them a call and asked lots of questions.
The person I spoke with seemed knowledgeable about the process and struck me as honest and forthcoming. The visible part of the dog’s teeth would be scraped to remove tartar - but no tartar would be removed above the gum line. I asked how they’d get my young, squirmy dog to sit still. The person laughed and said, “oh, none of them will sit still - so, we wrap them up like a mummy so they can’t move and we lay them down on their side. They struggle for a while but then they give up when they realize they can’t get away.” That sounded pretty awful to me - so I didn’t book the service.
Now, I’ve learned from my own veterinarians that the bigger part of the problem with tartar isn’t the visible part - it’s the part under the gums. They’ve changed the name from “anesthesia-free” to “cosmetic dentals” to more accurately reflect that it has no medical benefits and is simply a cosmetic - and entirely elective - option. And I’ve also learned that the struggling but then giving up is something called “learned helplessness” and it’s as bad as I originally guessed. It’s akin to being strapped in a straightjacket and having uncomfortable or painful things done to you without your consent and with no way to make it stop.
I’m glad I didn’t put my dog through that and I won’t ever let it happen to a dog under my care in the future.
This “service” is provided by groomers and others - not typically veterinarians. And it’s allowed because it’s “cosmetic” and not “medical” (there’s no medical benefit at all). As a trusted Veterinary Technician recently said, “white teeth are not an indicator of oral health.”
Yet, FearFree Pets doesn’t appear to mind that their Fear Free Certified professionals are strapping down dogs and scraping their teeth against their will for cosmetic purposes. When asked about it this week, Dr. Jennifer Merlo, the Director of Veterinary Affairs said,
“While Fear Free does not have an official statement regarding non-anesthetic or non-professional cosmetic teeth scraping, as Fear Free Certified Professionals and Practices we do promote and require adequate pain management as deemed appropriate based on pain scoring as well as FAS assessment during any procedure. If a Fear Free Certified Professional or Practice is performing procedures without assessing and treating pain and/or FAS this would be something we would want to investigate. If you want to provide more information please complete the form here.”
There are, from my perspective, two serious problems with this response.
Why is it that Fear Free doesn’t take an “official” stand on this practice? It’s uncomfortable and entirely unnecessary. I can’t imagine that any dog is consenting to this procedure. I’d be more than happy to be proven wrong about that.
Since the procedure is typically being done by groomers and others who are not licensed veterinarians, providing “pain management based on pain scoring as well as FAS assessment during any procedure” would be practicing medicine without a license and not only unethical, but illegal. Though I could legally be allowed to learn how and to perform the teeth scraping procedure, I am not qualified and not legally allowed to asses pain and provide pain management. Yet, that’s exactly what Dr. Merlo is requiring.
I call on Fear Free Pets to take a position on cosmetic dental procedures - they are obviously free to take any position they’d like. But taking no position is basically an endorsement from their perspective. They obviously don’t believe it’s inherently fear-inducing for the dogs being subjected. I disagree with that position.
But wait, there’s more bad news…
Fear Free Pets is apparently fine with their certified members endorsing shock collars.
A peer of mine noticed an advertisment for the Invisible Fence company (a product that uses electric shock to unreliably and cruelly make dogs stay within invisible boundaries). The advertisment said that the company has worked with “certified behaviorists and trainers to be scientifically sound and behaviourally correct.” One of the professionals they mentioned was Dr. Gerrard Flannigan - a Fear Free certified professional in Ontario, Canada. In the advertisment, Dr. Flannigan is listed as a “Diplomate ACVB” but I cannot locate him in their directory.
When asked how a Fear Free professional would be allowed to endorse such products, Fear Free responded,
”Dr. Flannigan is on the advisory panel for Fear Free as an outside advisor and advocate of Fear Free, however many of our advisors also work with other companies. I would encourage you to reach out to Dr. Flannigan himself or Invisible Fence to discuss as Fear Free is not associated with Invisible Fencing” — Dr. Jennifer Merlo, Director of Veterinary Affairs.
Can this response be any more dismissive of the question? “Look, that has nothing to do with us - talk to him.” From the very organization that dog owners are supposed to be able to trust to help them find professionals who will safeguard the emotional health of their companion animals by avoiding fear. Having a Fear Free certified professional who endorses shock collars isn’t something that concerns them? And the fact that he’s on their advisory council doesn’t make this issue even more serious?
I’ve sought out Fear Free certified professionals myself. I’ve helped my clients do the same. I’ve been remiss in not becoming certified already myself since I’ve previously thought it would help further identify my ethical position on the use of fear to teach/handle companion animals.
But a certification is only as good as its reputation. And if Fear Free Pets will encourage non-veterinary professionals to assess and treat pain and will allow those who endorse shock collars to retain their certification and sit on their advisory panel…the certification isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.
I call on Dr. Marty Becker to look into these two specific issues and to review Dr. Merlo’s position in Fear Free Pets. These two examples presented themselves to me this week. I suppose it’s possible that I’ve heard about all the examples where Dr. Merlo shrugged her shoulders and looked the other way - but I doubt that’s the case. I hope that Dr. Flannigan is removed from the Fear Free advisory panel and his certification is revoked. And I hope that Fear Free will take a clear and public stand against the use of cosmetic procedures which are painful and fear-inducing and require heavy restraint to complete.
It takes much work for programs such as Fear Free to build the stellar reputation they have enjoyed.
It will take very little for them to ruin it.
Note: my sources of information about these two issues are trusted colleagues who shared screenshots of their communication with Fear Free and Fear Free’s responses. It’s all in writing.