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A grieving pet owner has warned internet users about the hidden dangers for animals that lie in our homes after her senior dog strangled himself to death by accident in August.
In a heartbreaking clip, shared on TikTok on Saturday, under the username @aww_its_megan, the owner says that her late dog got entangled in a bra that she left misplaced. The animal ended up dying of strangulation because of it.
A caption alongside the post reads: "My elderly dog strangled himself on my bra I left hanging on our door knob. Learn from my mistake." It is followed by: "Tonight I am painting over the door which showed his struggle. I'll feel guilty for the rest of my life."
@aww_its_megan Tonight I am painting over the door which showed his struggle. Ill feel guilty for the rest of my life.
♬ Jacob and the Stone - Emile Mosseri
Dr. Ricky Walther, veterinarian and chief medical officer at Pawlicy Advisor, told Newsweek that this can happen to any dog. He said that, if you find your pet is strangling themselves on something that is around their neck, you should remove it immediately and get them to ER as soon as possible.
Walther added: "Pets should always be supervised and never in an area where they are elevated and can jump down when attached to a leash, as this is a more-common way for strangulation to occur."
As heartbreaking as it is, strangulation by collar occurs very often. The Ryder Safe Foundation estimates that at least 26,000 dogs die yearly from dog-collar strangulation.
The video quickly went viral on social media, getting viewers from across TikTok. It has so far received almost 5 million views and more than 280,000 likes on the platform.
Many of the users who interacted with the post shared their own experiences of accidentally harming their pets, and the guilt they felt after their pet died.

One user, Jane Garlow McDougal, commented: "My dog passed away after getting into the trash & getting a bag stuck on her head. She was home alone for only thirty minutes. I was devastated. Hugs."
Alxsdnbl posted: "I will never ever ever hang a bra from my door knob ever again. Your story will save so many animals."
Liz Wright wrote: "I left a pile of clean laundry on my bed. when I came back my dachshund somehow had a bra tangled around his neck. I will never do that again!"
User516620 added: "I'm so very sorry. He'll be waiting for you at the rainbow bridge. It was an accident, poor love. Sending hugs to you."
Newsweek reached out to @aww_its_megan for comment via TikTok chat. We could not verify the details of the case.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
About the writer
Maria Azzurra Volpe is a Newsweek Life & Trends reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is reporting on everyday ... Read more