This is Lucy.  Lucy was my sister Jeanne’s dog.  She died last month when she suffocated in a Doritos bag.  She was alone for only about ten minutes.

The website PreventPetSuffocation.Com  and their Facebook page have hundreds of stories just like Lucy’s.  In story after story, I read the words that came to me when I first heard of Lucy’s death:  “I had no idea that was even possible!”

Jeanne and I want everyone to know how Lucy lost her life. No one in our family had any idea that this was a risk to our pets. We want to help more people know the risks and take the necessary precautions to protect their own and others’ pets.

This is from Jeanne:

“My dog Lucy lost her life to an empty chips bag. Praying that no one else has to go through this pain and heartache. My dear sweet Lucy was an 11 year old Jack Russell mix who was a huge part of my family for nearly 10 years. Two of my grandchildren were here last Tuesday evening, Oct 3rd, playing outside at the time. My adult son went upstairs to take a shower. When he was almost done with his shower, I ran out to pick up a pizza. 10 minutes later, as I was returning home he called me hysterical to tell me that he had just found Lucy on the living room floor with a Doritos bag stuck over her head. He tried to revive her to no avail. I bought the bag of chips for my 3 year old granddaughter on the way home from daycare. The bag was left on the loveseat when she ran outside with her older brother. Lucy was dearly loved by my entire family, neighbors and friends. The heartache and sadness is relentless knowing how she suffered and that we were not here to help her.”  – Jeanne

This is from PreventPetSuffocation.Com :

Many people erroneously believe that a dog can simply remove a chip bag from his head with his front paws or tear through it with his claws. This is just not the case. Once the bag starts to seal around the dog’s neck, it’s extremely difficult to break the suction of the seal. ALL dogs are vulnerable to pet suffocation – no matter their size, breed, or age. No dog, from a tiny teacup poodle to a massive Great Dane, can win a fight with a chip bag or other plastic bag over his head once the bag seals and he starts to lose oxygen. Please review the preventive safety measures below to help keep your pets, both dogs and cats, safe from pet suffocation.

⦁ Keep all chip/snack/pet food bags safely stored away from your pet.
⦁ Tear or cut up all chip bags and food bags after use.
⦁ Store chips/snacks/pet food in resealable plastic containers.
⦁ Serve chips and snacks in glass bowls or containers instead of in bags.
⦁ Keep all trash can lids tightly fastened, locked, or behind a cabinet.
⦁ Keep kitchen pantry door closed.
⦁ Learn CPR for pets.
⦁ Do not allow your pets to roam freely in the house while you are away.
⦁ Alert all your friends and family about the suffocation dangers of bags.
⦁ Educate pet sitters and babysitters about pet suffocation prevention.
⦁ Be extra vigilant during family and holiday gatherings.
⦁ Lobby companies to add warning labels on snack/cereal/dog food bags.
⦁ Share this website on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media.
⦁ Visit, “Like” and Share ⦁ Prevent Pet Suffocation on Facebook.
⦁ Follow Prevent Pet Suffocation on Twitter ⦁ @4YouBlue2.
⦁ Follow Prevent Pet Suffocation on Instagram ⦁ @PreventPetSuffocation.

We hope you share this post and links to the above resources. Please spread the word about this danger to your pets and how to prevent it!

Blessings!