In a world where our furry friends are often considered part of the family, the thought of losing them in a tragic accident is unimaginable.
Yet, this is the stark reality Jess, a dog owner from the United States, recently faced when she unexpectedly lost her four-year-old dog.
She's now warning others about the often-overlooked danger of leaving dogs in collars at home.
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Dog owner's plea: “Please take it off”
Jess began the now-viral video, by saying, “People can make their assumptions but just know that this is nothing like what you actually think it is.”
“It’s not just a collar getting stuck on something, this was a lot more brutal,” she continued.
She then says that her dog died when she was strangled when her collar became entangled, but the details are too gruesome to share online.
Through tears, she emphasised, “This isn’t the dog owner’s fault, this wasn’t another dog’s fault, we have multiple dogs.”
According to Jess, pet owners need to know that dog collars can be a strangulation hazard at home as they can get caught on things like furniture.
“If you’re a dog owner, please take your dog’s collar off when they’re at home, or please have your dogs under supervision when they’re outside, please,” she urged.
She then suggests people buy break away collars, which will release under force if your pet gets caught on something.
“There are easy ways to prevent this like getting break away collars or supervising your animals while they’re playing,” Jess explained.
“Please make sure you’re watching your animals, please make sure you have break away collars. Otherwise, you may be sent home with a bag of fur and nothing else.
“This is your sign if you haven’t already. Please please please keep your furbabies safe.”
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“My heart is broken”
Jess's clip has now been viewed over five million times, with many sharing their sympathies in the comments.
One person wrote, “So incredibly sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine the pain. Thank you for the reminder to pet owners.”
Another added: “My heart is so broken for you. I’m so sorry for your loss. Praying for your healing and comfort.”
Then a fellow dog owner shared, “I am so, so sorry. This almost happened to my own dog while she played with another dog. She survived but it was the scariest thing watching her. My dogs hardly ever wear collars unless we’re on a hike.”
‘Freak accident': Dog specialist weighs in
The incident has sparked widespread concern, but after speaking to a dog specialist, it appears this is more of a freak accident than a common occurrence.
The Sydney Dog Trainer, Mark Hickey, told Kidspot, “How often does this happen? It’s got to be pretty rare. It’s got to be a freak accident.
“But at the end of the day, if the dog didn’t have a collar on it, it wouldn’t have happened. But I don’t want people to think this happens often.
“In saying that, I certainly don’t recommend leaving a training collar on a dog as they can be loose as it tightens and constricts the neck. Because it’s loose, it can more readily snag on something and choke the dog.
“But a normal collar with a good fit… it’s just a random freak accident.”
Originally published as Woman's gut-wrenching plea to dog-owners: ‘Don't make the same mistake I did'
