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The dangers of snack bags for pets - Printable Version

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The dangers of snack bags for pets - Catherine - 02-16-2021

We have dealt with this issue before. It is an ongoing problem that is now more common. Dogs put their heads in snack bags because they are looking for a snack. 
The bags are made from Mylar and it forms a seal around the dogs head. It very quickly suffocates the dog. Good responsible pet owners are coming home and fining their pet has died with a snack bag on its head. They didn't know there was a danger.  
One woman found out the hard way. She lost her beloved dog because of a chip bag. She has founded the group Prevent Pet Suffocation. 
 The group  Prevent Pet Suffocation is pushing for snack bags to have warning labels. If people knew the danger they could cut up the bags to prevent a dog from getting its head stuck inside. They could dispose of the bags safely.


https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/i-just-knew-she-was-gone-chip-snack-bags-pose-deadly-danger-for-your-pets

This is such a preventable cause of death.  If people knew there was a danger they could easily prevent it. Bags can be cut up in seconds. They can be disposed of safely.  All of you reading this please pass this information on to others. The more people who know, the more we can prevent dogs from dying. These snack bags are common everywhere so it is important that people everywhere are warned.


RE: The dangers of snack bags for pets - Libby - 02-26-2021

I've often thought I would come home to find Graham like this. He recently started getting into things, mostly the trash. We had to start putting him in the crate when I leave home. He was jumping up where we thought he couldn't reach and getting where we felt he couldn't get. He never went for chip bags, but that's just because I make sure any bags like that are in a built-in house closet with a solid latching door. He doesn't go for anything when we are around. He waits for us to be out of the room and then knocks over the trash. Anything that even has touched food goes in our locking bin in the kitchen. We also compost, so that has to go in a particular air-tight container when in the house and then has to be fenced off from the dogs because I have it in the back fence where they were digging. Graham is a heeler/pointer mix with long legs, slender, fast, and springy. He can get into a lot of places the other dogs can't.

Safety is definitely something that has to be a priority. This is where a crate and pet sitter/dog walkers come in handy! Puppies, small dogs, and seniors need breaks 2-4 hours with adults medium and up in size 6-8 hours. It also depends on the dog. Each dog is different but Graham knows not to get my chalupa when I'm just running upstairs to grab something but if I'm gone more than 10 minutes (I swear he times it!) he can't handle the temptation anymore.


RE: The dangers of snack bags for pets - Catherine - 02-26-2021

I think dogs come with built in timers. If you leave food 10 minutes it is considered abandoned and therefore up for grabs, literally.

Graham sounds like quite a handful. He is clever and inventive. It is a good thing he can't open closets. He seems to be able to climb anywhere. If he got at a chip bag it would be dangerous. 

Maybe they need to redesign chip bags and other snack bags so they are not dangerous. If they were shorter and wider they wouldn't be a problem.
Lots of products could be changed to be safer. No dog should ever be lost because of packaging or faulty products.