About Fear Free®
Leaders in
Animal Wellbeing
Our mission is to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets by inspiring and educating the people who care for them.
What is Fear Free®?
Founded in 2016, Fear Free provides online education to veterinary professionals, pet professionals, animal welfare communities, and pet owners. Our courses are developed and written by the most respected veterinary and pet experts in the world, including boarded veterinary behaviorists, boarded veterinary anesthesiologists, pain experts, boarded veterinary internists, veterinary technicians (behavior), experts in shelter medicine, animal training, grooming, boarding, and more.
With all the false (and harmful!) information on the internet, Fear Free aims to keep veterinary healthcare teams and pet professionals at the forefront as the true pet health experts. By closely listening to the needs of the veterinary and pet professions as well as those of the new generation of pet parents, Fear Free has transformed into some of the most innovative educational programs in the history of the veterinary, pet professional, and animal welfare industries. In providing unparalleled education on emotional wellbeing, enrichment, and how to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in pets, Fear Free is proud to play a part in the improvement of the human-animal bond.
Our Programs
Who created Fear Free®?
Dr. Marty Becker, “America’s Veterinarian,” has spent his life working toward better health for pets and the people who love them. He is the founder of Fear Free, which works to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets by inspiring and educating the people who care for them. This includes veterinary and other pet professionals as well as pet parents through FearFreeHappyHomes.com and animal shelter and rescue group staff and volunteers through FearFreeShelters.com.
Fear Free and Dr. Becker partnered with Meredith Corporation, the nation’s largest brand-powered food, lifestyle, and entertainment media company, to introduce Happy Paws magazine. Written by veterinary and pet professional experts including board-certified veterinary behaviorists, Happy Paws assists pet owners in providing their pets with the physical and emotional care they need to live happier, healthier, and fuller lives.
Dr. Becker was the resident veterinary contributor on “Good Morning America” for 17 years. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of American Humane as well as its Chief Veterinary Correspondent, a founding member of Core Team Oz for “The Dr. Oz Show,” and a member of the Dr. Oz Medical Advisory Panel. His special fondness for older pets has led him to a spot on the Advisory Board of The Grey Muzzle Organization, which is dedicated to helping homeless senior dogs.
He has written 23 books that have sold almost 8 million copies, including three New York Times best-sellers. He also writes the weekly nationally syndicated newspaper feature Pet Connection with his writing partner, Kim Campbell Thornton.
Dr. Becker is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and also at the Colleges of Veterinary Medicine at both Colorado State University and the University of Missouri. Additionally, he has lectured at every veterinary school in the United States, and is on the advisory board of World Vets, an international veterinary and disaster relief programs to help animals.
A passionate advocate for the human-animal bond, Dr. Becker serves as an adjunct professor at the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction at the University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He is an honorary board member of Pet Partners and the Humane Society of New York, as well as a past board member and strong supporter of his local pet rescue group, Second Chance Animal Adoption of Bonner Ferry, ID, and a supporter of the Panhandle Animal Shelter in Sandpoint, ID, the Kootenai Humane Society in Coeur d’Alene, ID, and the Whitman County Humane Society in Pullman, WA.
Dr. Becker practices at North Idaho Animal Hospital because he loves veterinary medicine, pets, and the people who care for them.
