A 16-foot-tall giraffe batted its long eyelashes in thanks at an Oklahoma chiropractor who traveled nearly two hours to loosen the animal’s jaw.
Dr. Joren Whitley, 34, owns the practice Oklahoma Chiropractic that specializes in spinal manipulation for humans and animals of all sizes from baby kittens and bats to giraffes.
In a video uploaded on TikTok, Whitley is seen twisting and turning the giraffe’s neck before hearing an audible popping noise and prompting the animal snuggles against his head in evident gratitude.
Dr. Joren Whitley, 34, owns the practice Oklahoma Chiropractic that specializes in spinal manipulation for humans and animals of all sizes
Whitley is seen twisting and turning the giraffe’s neck before hearing an audible popping noise in a video posted on TikTok
Gerry the giraffe (pictured) didn’t appear to be in pain but was also experiencing small problems in his upper and lower neck.
Whitley traveled from Oklahoma City to a ranch in Ardmore, Oklahoma to examine Gerry the giraffe after he received an unusual call that the African mammal wasn’t chewing properly.
‘Gerry’s jaw had great range of motion moving one direction, but it did not have the same range of motion on the other side,’ Whitley told The Washington Post.
The giraffe didn’t appear to be in pain but was also experiencing small problems in his upper and lower neck.
Whitley stood on a platform over Gerry’s head and placed his hands on either side of the animal’s neck before pushing it backwards and turning it side-to-side.
Gerry is seen in the video twisting his head back and forth after Whitley successfully cracked it and said: ‘Now, that’s moving great.’
Gerry hugged Whitley in a show of affection after the chiropractor unlocked his jaw
Gerry cuddled against Whitley’s head in a dog-like gesture of appreciation
Whitley said that working on the giraffe’s neck was a dream and enjoyed that he cuddled up to him like they were best friends
Gerry nuzzled Whitley’s head and cuddled up close to him while the chiropractor scratched behind his ears
In an immediate show of emotion, Gerry nuzzled Whitley’s head and cuddled up close to him while the chiropractor scratched behind his ears.
‘When I made the adjustments, he rubbed his head all over me like ‘You’re my best friend,’ Whitley told The Post.
‘Working on a giraffe’s neck is a chiropractor’s dream,’ he told CNN. ‘It’s the longest neck in the world.’
Whitley’s post received an overwhelming response of 26.1 million views and received comments from people complaining that they’re upset being a giraffe chiropractor wasn’t an option when they were in school, while another wrote: ‘You can see his relief! That warms my heart.’
Gerry is owned by Missy Nowell, a longhorn cattle rancher, who told The Post that Whitley’s efforts seemed to have been a success because the giraffe doesn’t have problems chewing anymore.
‘I would describe it as an immediate positive response,’ she said, adding that Gerry is essentially a 2,500-pound dog that just wants to be loved by everyone.
‘The only time he has an issue is if you’re not paying him any attention,’ Nowell added.
Whitley told Jam Press that he’s constantly on the lookout for other animals that need his chiropractic services, but clarified that the way he treats each one has to be specifically tailored to their size and body structure.
‘There are of course safety measures I have to take with the larger animals that I don’t with a kitten,’ he told Jam Press.
‘I have not worked on an elephant or a whale yet but I know with my passion it will happen in the future.
‘Every day animals leave our office having a better quality of life.’
