A vet student shared her heartbreaking story after playing fetch with her Corgi. While this is a game many dog owners partake in with their pets, it’s important you do so using legitimate toys and not sticks. That’s because the twigs could end up hurting – or even killing – your furry friends.
Sharing her own experience, Ally revealed how she got her pet corgi called Lucy in 2020. She described Lucy as her “soul dog” and spent plenty of time on training and obedience competitions.
However, the bond between Ally and her beloved dog was cruelly cut short. That’s because Lucy tragically died in 2024 after a game of fetch went wrong.
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On Instagram, Ally posted a short clip 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 with a stick outside. Tragically, it accidentally got lodged in the back of Lucy’s mouth and caused a fatal infection.
This is far from a one-off incident – as both veterinarians and animal welfare organisations warn against playing fetch with sticks.
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.”
