Columbia Animal Clinic is an AAHA Accredited Veterinary Hospital

Champions for Excellent Care!

Why is AAHA Accreditation so important?  

Accreditation by AAHA means that we have passed a voluntary evaluation of more than 900 standards and that we are dedicated to upholding the highest standards of care for your pet!  The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), along with a group of veterinary experts, developed the AAHA Standards of Accreditation as benchmarks of excellence. The AAHA Accreditation Program helps veterinary hospitals incorporate these standards of quality care and procedures into their day-to-day practices, ultimately raising the level of care being provided to companion animals while also increasing loyalty among veterinary staff members. Being AAHA-accredited also provides a way for veterinary hospitals to show their commitment to excellence in their communities and to their clients. 

We are a Cat Friendly Practice®

The Cat Friendly Practice® program is a global initiative designed to elevate care for cats by reducing stress and making visits easier for cats and caregivers. Awarded by the American Association of Feline Practitioners, the veterinary practice must meet specific criteria in order to become a Cat Friendly Practice®. These Cat Friendly Practices® take extra steps to provide the best care and experience for you and your cat.
You can expect your Cat Friendly Practice® to:

• Understand the unique needs and behaviors of cats.
• Have a feline-friendly environment and make veterinary visits more cat-friendly.
• Understand how to approach and handle cats in a gentle, empathetic, and caring manner.
• Have the appropriate equipment and facilities needed to diagnose and treat feline patients.
• Meet specific standards for the facility and care of hospitalized cats.

The Cat Friendly Practice® program is designed to:

• Help reduce stress associated with veterinary visits.
• Improve the quality of care provided.
• Support the veterinary team so that the entire staff is educated and knowledgeable about your cats’ distinct needs and behaviors.

Fear Free Visits

“Fear is the most damaging emotion a social species can experience.” (Becker, Radosta, Sung, and Becker, 2018)  These are very powerful words and we, as veterinary professionals, take it to heart that this is the experience some of our canine and feline patients have when coming to the vet.  For some of them, the visit may be one of fear, anxiety, or stress, often starting at home before they have even set a paw in the clinic.  Canines and felines can suffer from social anxiety in much the same way we humans do and what we perceive as a simple trip to the vet’s office can be a major undertaking for them.  It is not the intention of any veterinary professional to cause fear, anxiety, or stress to the patients we are trying to help.

We believe that veterinary visits do not have to be scary ordeals for our patients and would like to introduce you and your pet to a better way. This new concept is called Fear Free and the ultimate goal is to take the “pet” out of petrified.  This movement focuses on taking the emotional well-being as well as the physical well-being of our patients into consideration at every visit.   

We have been looking at the veterinary visit from their perspective in an effort to recognize the things that can cause stress for them.  Doing this has allowed us to take a fresh look at how things such as physical exams, vaccinations, blood draws, nail trims, and hospitalized care affect our patients on an emotional level.  As a result, and we are developing ways to alleviate their fear, anxiety, and stress in these situations.  

​Our commitment to offering Fear Free visits is part of our continued goal to provide you and your pet with a superior level of medical care.  We are proud to have Fear Free Certified Professionals on our staff and are working towards becoming a Fear Free Certified Clinic.  We encourage you to participate in this journey with us as we strive to reduce and, hopefully, eliminate fear, anxiety, and stress for your pet at every visit.  For more information please visit Fear Free Happy Homes or speak with a staff member.