Dogs especially have an insane superpower of a nose, they surely smell the fear and even just regular body odour of all the previous animals who’ve come through there in the last week. I don’t know if the cleaning protocol of even the most fastidiously-hygienic clinics could get rid of that ‘doggy Holocaust train’ smell. It puts me in mind of my own struggles with autistic sensory overload. It must be the equivalent of someone like me being walked through a door and out onto the stage at Wembley Stadium without anyone telling me what was about to happen. At least in my case, I’d see the crowd, whereas the dog only smells the ghosts of animals past and has to imagine what might have caused their pheromone bukakke.
The same goes for the vet/groomer themselves; they surely emit the screaming echos of slaughterhouse stank like a pealing church bell every second of the day. They are absorbing pure animal terror into their clothes and onto their skin like an adrenochrome-fiending Clinton.
My wife works at a certified Fear Free clinic. Customers are only allowed in the building when their animals are being put down. (A greeter goes out to retrieve animals from the cars and return them after the appointment.)
Animals are happy to be there, because it doesn’t smell like fear any longer. There’s no waiting room with other animals. Just the staff who are happy to see them.
It is a real game changer.
This puts a lot of trust in the vets and vet staff, I don’t think I’d be comfortable with it. I definitely see the benefits but it seems like owners should accompany the pet to the visit, at least for the exam portion. It’s too much of an opportunity for good communication between the vet and the owner, especially since the pet can’t speak for themselves.
Just replying again since my wife got home.
She said what actually happens is that when the pet is in the exam room, the customer is brought to the room. I just didn’t know the whole process post-covid. You were right!
Typically the owner is in their car outside so they can still inquire and be brought inside as needed.