Woman devastated as Christmas snow globe kills her dogs
A woman is devastated after the liquid from her Christmas snow globe killed her two dogs.
Caroline Osbourn, from Essex, made her home puppy-proof after adding 17-week-old labrador Milo to her family of pets.
On Monday (December 5), the dog trainer says she heard a crash coming from her kitchen.
The 46-year-old rushed into the room to find Milo and seven-year-old rescue dog Lexi slurping up the snow globe liquid.
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The dog owner soon discovered that many snow globes contain antifreeze, which is extremely poisonous to dogs. It can cause brain, lung and kidney damage.
Caroline then opted to rush her dogs to the vet, where they received medication and a drip.
Sadly, the following day, the mum-of-two learned that her two pets had died.
She is now urging all pet owners to throw out their snow globes.
"I just can't believe. I really can't. It all happened so fast," Caroline said.
"I had no idea [snow globes] had antifreeze in them. I wouldn't have them in the house. We've got another snow globe too but I've binned that now.
"As I was tidying it up, the liquid was a weird substance between oily and sticky. I quickly Googled it and it said they can sometimes contain anti-freeze.
"That snow globe was 15 years old and nothing had ever happened with it before. We went to [a shopping centre] in Thurrock when our children were younger and got the snow globe done with their pictures."
"In our house we have three dogs. One was upstairs asleep," she explained.
"We've got Milo the puppy and have gates everywhere. They were in our kitchen diner and we've puppy proofed everything.
"The Christmas tree was in the living room and there was nothing I thought they could hurt themselves on.
"I heard a smash and came running through. It didn't look like Lexi had actually had any but she died first.
"As I grabbed the snow globe and was trying to mop it up, Milo ran to where it fell off the shelf and I saw him licking. There was a big puddle of it there and he'd licked that puddle.
"I called the vets and they said I had to ring a toxicology helpline. They said I needed to get them to the vets immediately."
"They had to be put on a drip," she said. "We honestly thought it was precautionary because we'd acted so quick. They were transferred to a 24 hour vet.
"I know someone who works there who was giving me updates and they were fine. But I got a phone call at about 11am to say Lexi had crashed twice and did I want to say goodbye.
"I got in the car and then got another phone call saying Lexi had died and that Milo was hanging in there but he had also started to go downhill too. [He died six hours later]."
Caroline has now urged other pet owners to 'bin' any snow globes they may have in the house to avoid their own animals facing a similar heartbreaking fate.
Anish Vij