Can I enter a plea, for everyone to make sure that any bags that are put in the rubbish bin are TORN APART - we just experienced a tragic accident when a healthy 2 year old dog has suffocated by getting his head caught inside a polythene cat food bag.  

I must admit that generally I fill such bags with rubbish first before putting them into the bin - but from now on, they are going to be absolutely shredded.

Dogs will be dogs - and although you can train them not to go for the rubbish, when they are on their own, sadly they can succumb to temptation!

Margot

Margot thats terrible! Was it your dog? Im so sorry thi poor dog died like that!

I personally tie any empty bags in a knot, more to save space than anything else.
I also crush any tin cans and cut the plastic used to keep packs of cant together.

If only people were more careful!

It was a dog bred and loved by us :( .   The bag in qustion was, as I understand it, one of the 3 kg type Iam's bags that had just been cut enough to pour the food out - so not right the way across the top.   He had got first his nose in, then the rest of his head in - but then got it stuck.

Oh I'm so sorry Margot.
I'll light a candle for him tonight (candle central here, i save a fortune on electricity) and my thoughts are with you and his owners.

X

That's very sad Margot - I'm so sorry :(   It's the kind of thing most people would never even dream of happening - and yet when we hear something like this suddenly realise just how easily it could happen.

Best wishes, Teri

Oh what an awful thing to happen Margot!! :( Must have been an awful shock for them, very sad :(

Christine, Spain.

Thank you for making us aware of this.......my two have taken everything out of my bin several times when I have forgot to put it out of their way.      I shall take more care in future.        So sorry to hear about the poor dog...how sad.

Jackie

I've posted on your R/B thread, Margot, but thanks for the warning.
I've heard of some dreadful accidents involving collars getting caught up on things but I think this is the first I've heard about this kind of danger.

Hopefully this will make us all that little bit more careful and aware.

I am so glad I don't leave my dogs unattended with access to a rubbish bin.  I am so sorry for your loss :(

So sorry to hear about this Margot, its our worst nightmare.

Another one to be careful of with puppies is Pringles cartons.  I know of someone whose BT pup did exactly the same as Merlin, with a Pringles Crisp tube. Pushed in his head to get some crisps at the bottom and suffocated as he couldn't get back out, and they were only in the next room when it happened.

That's awful too Lady D :(  It's so easy to forget that dogs, cats, any small mammals and particularly the youngsters, will investigate anything and everything.  There are more dangers in the average household than we can begin to realise but it's always best to have info on more.  Tragic that it is learned through actual experience though :(

Teri

That is a good warning and not one I heed although I should years ago Cleo my cat got her front legs caught in a carrier bag handle and managed to almost strangle herself trying to get free luckily she never got her head caught in the bag intself - but came straight home. Where we freed her.

I,m really sorry to hear this and am grateful for the warning even though in awful circumstances as one of my labs would be a bit fond of the "Tuck shop" if my back is turned All my sympathy Sonja

sorry about your dog margot,ill be sure to shred all bags from know on.call me dim but i wouldnt of thought of anything like that!(new dog owner)
regards sarah x

So sorry to hear this Margot and the poor dogs owners they must feel terrible.  The same thing happened with one of our Pomeranian's once but luckily I'd only just popped out of the room when she over tipped the waste paper basket and put her head in a plastic bag.

Margot how terrible sending hugs   xxx
its true we dont always think when we discard rubbish

I remember a lady once telling me her Husband was a dustbin man and he grabbed some bin bags and one had a tin lid in it and it cut straight through his hand ever since then I put the lid in the tin and squeeze the top of the tin to close the gap.