A prominent veterinary professional has raised concerns about a trend circulating on TikTok that endangers pet safety. Jade, a registered veterinary nurse with a considerable following on the platform under the handle @jade.the.vet.nurs, has garnered over a million likes with her educational content about animal care. She has taken to TikTok to advocate for the well-being of pets, specifically urging owners to prioritise their animals' safety over the allure of viral social media fame.
In her video, Jade passionately addressed the practice of picking up pets, including dogs, cats, and rabbits, by their front legs and spinning them in circles. “Can we please stop this trend where people are picking up their cats, dogs, or rabbits by their front legs and spinning them around in circles? This is not a nice trend for your pets. It can actually cause damage,” she stated.
Jade highlighted the physical repercussions of this trend, explaining that lifting pets in such a manner places undue stress on their shoulders, elbows, muscles, and ligaments. This can lead to discomfort, dizziness, and nausea in the animals. “I’ve literally seen people try and do this trend with large dogs and I have seen people drop their dogs which can cause injury," she mentioned. Furthermore, she observed smaller dogs appearing distressed as they were spun around, noting their instinctive squirming which indicates discomfort.
Particularly vulnerable to injury are specific breeds, with Jade pointing out French bulldogs and dachshunds as being at a higher risk. She implored owners of these breeds to exercise additional caution. Calling the trend dangerous, Jade emphasised, “I don’t think it’s a very responsible thing to do. So I would say if you have posted one of these videos, it’s probably just a good idea to delete it and don’t get sucked into these kind of trends."
While acknowledging the appeal of creating endearing and entertaining content that could gain popularity online, she implored pet owners to consider their animals' health and welfare as a priority. “I know you watch them and they look cute and they look fun," she said, reiterating her concern for the potential harm these actions could inflict on pets as part of the quest for social media engagement.
In summary, Jade's warnings serve as a significant alert to pet owners regarding the implications of such trends, underscoring the importance of responsible pet ownership in the face of viral challenges.
Source: Noah Wire Services