Below is a facebook post from 10 January 2019 by Suzie.
Please give your doggies a kiss. My girl Lucy is fighting for her life tonight, after getting her name tag caught in the decking slats gap. She twisted her body multiple times tightening her collar. She has crushed her air-way and larynx. Thank god we were home at the time and got her to the vet.
This post received 614 likes and 328 comments of best wishes, requesting updates.
Suzie had then added more comments.
It was so distressing to witness. She just kept twisting like a croc. I had to run to the house to get scissors to cut it off.
My poor children 19 twins 11 witnessed it too. We’re all so upset.
She’s in surgery now. But she’s 13 and vet was very doubtful. My heart is breaking right now.
Hi everyone. I can’t thank you enough for all your kind wishes.
Lucy had a 3 hr surgery last night. She has survived the night and today so far. Our vet has upped her chances for survival from 5-10% to now 70%.
My poor old girl, she looks miserable but I’m taking that 70% and running with it. I gave her plenty of kisses this morning when I went to visit her. And I told her so many people are sending her healing wishes. Once again thank you all for your kind words. It’s helped me so very much.
She’s drugged up to the max. Jaw wired open with tubes out her mouth. My poor baby. I’ve just got back from a quick visit and she managed a tail wag.
I’ve got an Irish setter who’s missing Lucy so much too.
Thank you for all your ongoing kind words. I’ve just got back from visiting Lucy. She’s doing great. Tubes everywhere still but she stood up and cried, tail wagged and wanted to come home. Tubes and wire coming off tomorrow. Vet so surprised with the outcome. He told me he didn’t think she would have made it this far let alone now talking of taking her tubes out tomorrow night hopefully. Told me kelpies are the toughest breeds going. As if we didn’t know that already.
It’s so hard to leave her there. You could tell by the look in her pleading eyes she wants to come home.
Then things turned for the worst, no-one was expecting Suzie to then post this comment.
It is with a heavy heart that I write this. Lucy took a turn for the worst yesterday afternoon. It was a tough decision but an easy one too. I didn’t want her to suffer. We all laid on the floor at the vets bawling, her head on my legs, as she closed her eyes and gently went to sleep.
My family and I would like to thank everyone for your love and support the last few days. It’s been amazing.
My poor other dog Sadie is walking around lost. She knows her best friend has gone. She looks at me with sad eyes and she slept with me last night whimpering. Please hug your doggies and remove their dangly name tags.
Once again thank you for all your kind wishes, prayers and support.
Moondidley Pets offered Sadie, Lucy's sister, a free Doggie ID Collar, Suzie was very grateful, as she had removed Sadie's tag but had not got around to ordering one, she wished she had thought about these collars before. She had many dogs over the years and never had an issue. She said "I’m telling everyone to get these collars now. Very kind of you. Thank you"
Once Sadie received her new Doggie ID Collar Suzie contacted us "Omg thank you thank you thank you. Sadie is going to be the snazziest looking dog in the neighbourhood. You’ve been so kind and extremely generous. I shall send you a pic over the weekend. I can’t thank you enough. Your too kind xxx"
This story broke my heart, I had trouble writing this blog as I couldn't stop crying and had trouble seeing the computer monitor through my tears. I hope we never see a story like this again on facebook, please everyone think about what dangly pieces / tags from collars can do.