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Chapter 8 Restraint of Animals 131

FIGURE 8.19 Double leash technique.

hand and onto your wrist and the other loop is held in
your hand. This may seem like overkill but if you’ve
FIGURE 8.18 Slip leash. ever had a dog escape from you, that extra length to
grab can be a life saver. Even small dogs that are being
of this chapter discusses is the proper use of restraint held and passed to you should be leashed. At some
techniques and equipment available for those not yet point you may have to set them down in order to open
utilizing fear free techniques. a door or to set up a kennel. Having them leashed
allows you to accomplish those tasks without fear of
having them escape.
Learning Exercise Placing a dog into a kennel is often very easy if you
toss a couple of treats in before them. Allow them to
Research fear and stress free handling. The Fear move into the kennel or place them in the kennel if
Free Pets website (https://fearfreepets.com/) will holding them and close the door a bit so your body and
provide proper training which would make you an the door are blocking any escape. Remove the leashes
extra valuable employee!
and place the cage card and ID collar on the kennel and
dog, respectively.

Safely Moving Patients from One
Location to Another Reflection

Why is it so important to identify patients and the
The veterinary assistant is often called upon to help kennel they are assigned to stay in while at the
move an animal from one place to another inside the practice?
hospital. Knowing how to secure a pet for transport will
increase the safety of the people and animals involved.
Dogs are often brought to the clinic on a leash. It is Cats and ferrets are often brought into the clinic in a
often the clinic’s policy to send the owner’s leash carrier. If that is the case, inform the owner that you will
home with them, so it isn’t lost. This makes a transfer be right back with their carrier to take home with them.
of leashes in order. Always carry a leash in your pocket. Transport the patient to the kennel, open the door to
This is often a slip leash (Figure 8.18) that opens easily the kennel, and then hold the carrier just inside the ken-
to accommodate any sized head. The slip leash is nel. Open the door to the carrier and see if the cat or
placed over the dog’s head and tightened gently so as ferret will walk out on its own. You can also try tossing a
not to choke the dog. The owner or you can unhook couple of chewy treats into the kennel before the cat or
the owner’s leash. Some clinics will insist on double ferret. If the patient starts to walk out, allow it to get at
leashing dogs. This is where you would put a second least half way out before starting to slide the carrier back
6 ft leash with a clip onto the collar loop (Figure 8.19). out of the kennel, be ready to close the door if the cat
The handle loop on one leash is passed over your should try to escape.