New downtown vet clinic takes fear out of exams

Burns Court Veterinary Care, now open on Dolphin Street, follows Fear Free, a veterinary initiative to alleviate anxiety in pets during the clinic visit.

By Ian Swaby
| 3:15 p.m. March 22, 2023

Mayor Kyle Battie and Dr. Josie Hamilton cut the ribbon at Burns Court Veterinary Care.

Sarasota
Business

Working as an associate in veterinary medicine, Dr. Josie Hamilton wondered why a trip to the vet was often a frightening experience for animals.

After much deliberation over the risk, she chose to take a leap of faith and establish a fear-free certified clinic,

Burns Court Veterinary Care, at 1530 Dolphin St.

Hamilton said that because children might find a visit to the doctor frightening, they receive toys, stickers and other materials to put them at ease, so Hamilton will take a similar approach with pets.

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“Bringing down that anxiety and fear and stress, we get better exams, which means the dogs are less terrified to come in here, and their people are less stressed when something's going on with their pet, … and that means we can practice better medicine," she said.

“This is a long time coming,” said Mayor Kyle Battie, who attended the grand opening. “We know how much our pets mean to us. I know how much my pet means to me. … To have this right here in the heart of Sarasota and the heart of downtown is great."

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.