Anything’s paw-sible.
Nikki Jurcutz, co-creator of the children’s safety organization Tiny Hearts, is dishing about the common pet accessory that could kill a child in just 20 seconds.
Nearly every pet owner has one of these in their home, but few probably understand the potential dangers of the seemingly harmless object.
In a TikTok that has fetched over 42,000 views this month, Jurcutz claims that a pet’s water bowl could be deadly in certain cases.
She made the 10-second clip after someone wondered: “My child can drown in my cat’s water bowl?”
The video shows Jurcutz picking up her pet’s water bowl and carrying it into another room, where she sets it down and closes the door.
“Where is your pet’s water bowl?” she asks in the clip. “This is your reminder to move your pet bowls into a safe area where pets can access, but kids cannot!”
The child safety specialist went on to explain the potential dangers.
“Kids can drown in 5 cm [2 inches] of water in just 20 seconds!” Jurcutz wrote in the video.
Viewers expressed shock in the comments.
“New fear unlocked,” one TikToker wrote.
Another questioned: “How is the dog supposed to get water with a closed door?”
A third emphasized: “Why does this page always make us think everything is going to end our child? I get awareness but damn.”
Drowning is the leading cause of injury death in children between the ages of 1 and 4, as kids can drown in as little as an inch or two of water quickly and quietly, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warns.
The greatest drowning threat facing families with young children is unexpected and unsupervised access to water, with the AAP noting that 69% of all drownings among children younger than 4 occur during non-swim times.
To keep children safe, the AAP suggests that parents or guardians:
- Check for water dangers at home and where they visit
- Create layers of protection using barriers to make access to water more difficult
- Prevent unsupervised access to water
- Provide close, constant supervision in and around water
- Be ready to respond and learn CPR
