Dog Agility Warning

[Sivvy]

PLEASE CROSSPOST:

From a group I belong to. Please share with others to help prevent another tragic loss of one of our beloved canines or someone elses.

Deborah

www.violetstandardpoodles.com

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I need to share some sad news and a warning with the agility

community. Some folks in the Dallas area know Steve Sanders and his

wife Sue. Steve has been competing for a while with his Aussie Lucy.

His wife Sue regularly came to watch class and brought along their

adorable blue merle Aussie puppy Mattie.

The months passed and Mattie was old enough to start classes. They

were doing beautifully. Steve and Mattie were stars in their class

and showed so much promise. I was really looking forward to see where

they'd be in another year or two. Steve retired his older dog Lucy so

he could focus on Mattie, who experienced so much joy doing agility.

Mattie was a cheerful girl with a sweet personality and wiggly Aussie

butt.

Last Thursday, I learned the tragic news. They turned the dogs out

into their backyard to potty while getting ready for work. In the

yard there is a set of agility equipment. After some time, Sue went

to bring the dogs in the house, but Mattie was gone. With help from

neighbors, they scoured the area but couldn't find her. When they got

back to the house, they noticed that the agility chute in the

backyard looked funny. The fabric had been bunched up in the barrel.

It was typical chute fabric, not a tarp.

Sue found Mattie's body tangled up in the chute. She had gotten

twisted tightly in the fabric and suffocated. They tried to do CPR,

but it was too late.

Steve and Sue are devastated by the loss. They asked me to share

their story so that another dog doesn't suffer the same fate. Please,

tell your friends and students to always supervise their dogs around

the chute or put it away when not in use. I have never heard of

anything like this before and hopefully never again. I still can't

believe Mattie is gone. There will be a big hole in class tomorrow

night.

Hugs your pups tonight and be grateful for every moment you have with

them.