Animal restraint is the use of manual, mechanical, or chemical means to limit some or all of an animals normal voluntary movement for the purposes of examination, collection of samples, drug administration, therapy, or manipulation. Proper restraint and handling techniques are essential for reducing stress and the risk of injury to animals and handlers. There are three types of restraint techniques used for animals in veterinary medicine: physical, environmental, and chemical. Physical restraints limit an animals movement and include manual restraint by a handler, traps, muzzles, tongs or graspers, nets, towels, cloths, and blankets. Environmental restraints control an animals mobility and include temporary traps, cages, kennels, runs, or stalls. Chemical restraint includes any form of medication used not to treat illness, but to intentionally inhibit movement. Restraint methods chosen should be tailored to respect the behavior of the species and the animals being treated. The least restraint required for a specific procedure should be used, and restraint methods should minimize fear, pain, distress, and suffering for the animal while protecting both the animal and people from harm. Before attempting to restrain an animal, it is important to allow the animal to become comfortable with you, crouch down so that you are on their level, avoid direct eye contact, and talk in soothing tones.