SIGHTS
A waiting room and reception area, tiled floors, cats in carriers and dogs on leashes, owners leafing through magazines or soothing nervous pets, racks of pet food displayed in a corner, drool spots and stray hairs on the floor, pet supplies for sale (shampoos, leashes and collars, tags, toys, skin treatments, vitamins, stain treatment systems, house training supplies, nail and hair clippers), flyers for upcoming fundraisers and events, animal-themed posters on the walls, individual exam rooms (a set of scales, a sink, a computer, assistants taking notes on clipboards, files, an exam table, medical instruments, garbage cans, sharps containers, assistants wearing scrubs and latex gloves, veterinarians in lab coats, posters depicting common animal anatomy such as digestive tracts or the heart and lungs), an in-house lab (an X-ray machine, an ultrasound machine, lead vests and aprons, a centrifuge, a microscope), a pharmacy, surgical rooms (an operating table, lights, trays of surgical instruments, anesthesia machines, IVs and catheters, blood pressure monitors, an autoclave, an oxygen machine), a kennel area (stacked cages, blankets, bowls of food and water, toys, pets lying down or standing and barking), a washer and dryer
SOUNDS
Animals verbalizing (barking, meowing, growling, chirping, squawking, squeaking, hissing, whining, crying), a dog’s tail thumping the table or floor, owners chatting as they wait to be called to the back, phones ringing, assistants calling for patients to be seen, claws clicking on tile floors, shoes squeaking, doors opening and closing, the snap of latex gloves being pulled off, foot-operated garbage can lids clanging open and closed, muffled voices behind a closed exam room door, the buzz of hair clippers, water pouring into a metal sink, claws scrabbling on the metal surface of an exam table, the hydraulic sound of weight scale being lowered or raised, water being lapped from a bowl and splashing to the floor, kibble rattling into a metal bowl, hard treats being chomped, an animal obsessively licking a wound site until reprimanded by the owner
SMELLS
Disinfectant, bleach, animal dander, urine, feces, blood, wet fur, pet food, pet musk
TASTES
Some settings have no specific tastes associated with them beyond what the character might bring into the scene (chewing gum, mints, lipstick, etc.). For scenes like these, where specific tastes are sparse, it would be best to stick to descriptors from the other four senses.
TEXTURES AND SENSATIONS
A nervous dog twining between one’s legs or climbing into one’s lap, a rough leash in one’s grip, a purring cat, the prick of a cat’s claws as she kneads one’s pant leg, the weight of a heavy pet carrier, trying to hold onto an excitable pet while filling out paperwork, a leash being wrapped around one’s legs, pet hair on one’s skin, dog drool dripping onto one’s foot or arm, the tug of a dog on a leash, feeling a small pet’s growl as another animal enters the room, a dog that is shivering in one’s lap, the nip of a small dog’s bite, smoothing a pet’s fur in an effort to calm it down, being licked by a nervous dog, a slick floor that has recently been mopped, a cold metal exam table, dusty-feeling latex gloves, the rough texture of a doggy treat, a knot in one’s stomach when waiting for a diagnosis
POSSIBLE SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Animal fights in the waiting room
Owners letting their animals run rampant
Being peed on by a nervous pet
Pets pooping in inconvenient places
Hysterical owners
Having to give or receive bad news about a pet
Outrage at the cost of services rendered
A veterinarian who is good with animals but terrible with people
Examining a pet that one suspects is being abused or mistreated in some way
A mystery illness that is difficult to diagnose
Being bitten by an animal during the examination
A client in the waiting room being allergic to pet dander
Having one’s leg humped by an amorous dog
Being covered in animal hair prior to an important meeting or appointment
The difficult decision of whether or not to put a pet down
PEOPLE COMMONLY FOUND HERE
Animal rescue workers, assistants, children, pet owners, receptionists, veterinarians
RELATED SETTINGS THAT MAY TIE IN WITH THIS ONE
SETTING NOTES AND TIPS
Like medical clinics, vet clinics differ in size, cleanliness, services offered, and décor. Some maintain a sterile environment with colorless walls and metal accessories. Others are as warm and welcoming as any medical practitioner’s office. Still others are animal-centric to the extreme, with murals, poster-covered walls, and pet play areas. The clinic tends to match its occupants, so the environment and level of customer service can say a lot about the veterinarian in a particular practice.
NOTE: If your character has an exotic pet such as a guinea pig, lizard, ferret or snake, she would need to take it to a veterinarian that specializes in exotic pets, since most general vet clinics aren’t qualified to treat these animals.
SETTING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
Juggling the clipboard, my purse, and an overgrown cocker spaniel, I staggered to the nearest seat. I put Quincy in the chair next to me, but he clambered into my lap and proceeded to shed hair all over my sweater. With a sigh, I balanced the clipboard on his back. His trembling turned my neat handwriting into an illegible scrawl. My teeth ground together. You’d think we were here to discuss his final days instead of just getting his nails clipped.
Techniques and Devices Used: Multisensory descriptions
Resulting Effects: Establishing mood