Dog owner issues vital warning to anyone who uses sticks to play fetch - The Mirror

While it's a common sight to see dogs proudly running around carrying the sticks they've found in their mouths, a dog owner has strongly warned against allowing this

A vet student has warned other dog owners about the dangers that come with playing fetch with a stick – as it was the reason she lost one of her pets.

Ally first got her corgi, named Lucy, in 2020. They quickly became best friends and the adoring owner soon realised Lucy was her 'soul dog'. She spent lots of time training Lucy alongside her veterinary studies and they both competed in rally, obedience, dock diving, disc, and FastCAT competitions.

However, Lucy tragically died in 2024 after a game of fetch went wrong. Following the heartbreaking incident, Ally is now urging all dog owners to be cautious when playing with their own pups.

Taking to Instagram, Ally shared a video of Lucy running towards her with sticks in her mouth. She then opened up about her regret for ever letting this happen.

She wrote: "A year ago I lost my best friend because I decided it was okay for her to play fetch with a stick." Ally added that she 'knew better' but didn't think the pup would get hurt from fetching a stick.

In a separate post, Ally explained that the two had been playing fetch outside. They were using a stick they'd found – and it suddenly got lodged in the back of the dog's mouth. This caused a severe infection to spread – and, despite surgery, Lucy sadly didn’t make it.

Ally isn't the only one who is warning dog owners of the dangers of letting dogs play fetch with sticks.

Veterinarians and animal welfare organisations like the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the Kennel Club warn that throwing real sticks can lead to horrific and even fatal injuries, like what happened to Lucy.

Advice on the Kennel Club website reads: "Stick injuries to dogs can range from minor cuts and scrapes to infections from stick splinters and even fatal injuries.

"Stick injuries are all too common and preventable, so please never throw sticks for dogs. They can lead to horrendous, life-threatening injuries, requiring advanced investigation and surgery. Use safer rubber alternatives instead."

Instead, the organisation recommends using safe, rubber "fetch sticks" or other durable toys designed for play. These have dogs' safety in mind and won't have the same sharp edges as real sticks do.

Concluding her post, Ally urged: "So the next time you play fetch, choose a ball, frisbee, or toy. Anything but a stick. I'd still be playing fetch with her today if I hadn't used a stick for fetch."

Several people took to the comment section of Ally's video, which has been viewed more than 1.5 million times on Instagram. Many kindly shared their condolences and stories of their own.

One said: "Oh my... our Aussie caught a stick and it got stuck in her throat. It was a horrific experience also for me, she got surgery etc, but she survived. No sticks here any more! I am so sorry for your loss."

Another person shared: "I did not realise how common this is until it happened to our Belgian Mal. She was running around in the yard playing with a stick and I turned my back to throw trash away, she lodged the stick into her mouth by stubbing it into the ground when running.

"Luckily she is okay now but definitely scary experience and a lot of stitches under her tongue."