I was curious to find out who the people coming up with the jokes are. According to the representative of the vet hospital, the brains behind the humor are hospital manager Linda Martin and the owner, Dr. Martin. "[They] brainstorm together most times and other times we have a book of corny pet jokes that we use for inspiration. Also, the staff finds inspiration from upcoming holidays. For mardi gras, we put up a sign that said, 'Show me your kitties!!!'"
According to the Holly Ridge Veterinary Hospital representative, there has been loads of positive feedback to their signs. "Many of our clients come in and let us know how much they love our sign or we’ll have people just passing by call us to tell us how happy our signs make them. I think this is why we change the signs so frequently," they said.
"To hear how much our clients look forward to seeing our signs while driving down the highway makes us so happy. We have even had clients call to ask when we will be changing the signs again after only a couple of days of being up."
The Holly Ridge Veterinary Hospital is fairly small, but the people working there have big hearts. On their Facebook page, they write that they provide “genuine care and compassion for your pet.” We don’t doubt it. I’d let anyone with such a great sense of humor take care of my pets.
Anna Ewers Clark, a vet working with the PDSA, the United Kingdom’s leading vet charity, told Bored Panda just how important it is that we keep our pets healthy. We had a chat specifically about dogs and how we can improve their quality of life, their energy levels, and their overall happiness.
According to PDSA vet Anna, obesity is a very large problem for all pets, dogs included. In order to avoid having to deal with all the health issues that it brings with (from arthritis and back problems to increased risk of cancer, stroke, and injury), it’s vital that we focus on providing our pets with a good diet and the opportunities for plenty of movement. Greater weight leads to less energy to exercise which, in turn, leads to more weight gain.
“Unfortunately, if your dog puts on weight, this can cause them to slow down and not want to exercise, which can lead to a circle of weight gain as they continue to eat the same amount but will want to exercise less and less,” the vet warned Bored Panda.
“Over time, this can lead to obesity, which has a big impact on your dog’s health. So it’s really important to pick up the early indicators of weight gain by checking your dog’s weight and shape regularly, and learning what the ideal is for them, so you can spot if their weight might be starting to creep up,” vet Anna revealed to Bored Panda that we have to regularly check how much our pets weigh if we feel that they might be growing chonkier.
If you’re worried, you really ought to reach out to your local vet. They’ll advise you on how best to proceed if your dog is entering obesity territory. “If you’re not sure if your dog is getting the right amount or type of food or you don’t know if they’re exercising enough, talk to your vet team,” Anna advised.
“They’ll be able to check your dog’s weight and shape, look for any medical causes for any changes you’ve noticed and come up with a plan with plenty of support so you can get them to the ideal shape. This will often include changing their diet and putting them on an exercise program, as a combination of the two will keep your dog in tip-top condition,” Anna stressed that reaching out to your vet for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s one of love for our pets.
And while we’re having the vet take a look at our pets, it’s really in our best interest to have a good laugh or two to keep our spirits up. Funny vet hospital signs can help with that. Humor doesn’t just improve our mood, it’s actually boosting our physical and mental health, too.
Very Well Mind explains that laughter boosts our immune systems, improves our heart health, improves our tolerance for pain, and even improves our sleep. What’s more, humor helps reduce our stress levels (nobody’s thinking about their problems when they’re chuckling at a goofy vet sign), improves our memory, and helps improve our social relationships by bringing us together. To this end, I ask: why don’t all vet hospitals have fun signs like Holly Ridge does?
Which of these signs made you chuckle the hardest, Pandas? Are there any jokes that you know that you think definitely should show up on the hospital signs? Share your thoughts in the comment section. Meanwhile, if you’re done enjoying this list, check out Bored Panda’s articles about hilarious signs from other vet clinics here, here, and here.
