I have two very playful dogs and two energetic cats who love to play with toys. In the past, I found myself spending a lot of money on toys to only have then destroyed a few minutes after giving them to my girls.
One day I noticed how whenever my niece would come over she was always missing her stuffed animals and we would always find it in someone's mouth! So I decided that children's toys were just as good for my girls as toys from the pet shop.
I save money by going to the thrift store or yard sales and buying plush toys sometimes for as little as 50 cents. I get less upset when I see the toys destroyed because I didn't pay a lot for them; just be sure to throw the toys in the wash before giving them to your pet.
Look for stuffed animals with stitching instead of buttons because they will pull those off first and may be a choking hazard. When you support your local thrift shop, you are not only saving money but helping your community so you can feel even better about saving money on your pet toys.
By angelarog from Queens, NY
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I go to thrift stores for my dog toys, too. I make sure there aren't any 'beans' in the bottom of them as well. I bought a big floppy stuffed duck once, not realizing it had one of those press button noise makers in the foot. I kept hearing 'quack quack quack' and was actually looking out the window for ducks when my dog Rusty Girl first discovered it.
I do the same also. Someone once told me to be careful with the newer stuff animals because the have fire prevented jel-packs. If the dog should eat the stuffing the packs will harm the dog and could lead to death. Other than that, it's a great idea.
That's exactly right, Hindsfeet. Toys designed for kids are required to have fire-retardant chemicals incorporated into the stuffing. If this stuffing is ingested, the fire-retardant compounds form a gel which blocks the animal's intestines and quickly causes irreversible necrosis. In the cases I've read about, the vets in question say the situation is nearly always irreversible and fatal.
Since toys meant for animals are not required to have the fire retardancy, and this is a pretty well-known issue, you can pretty much bet they don't.
Better to spend the couple extra bucks on toys meant for animals and maybe prevent an issue you'd give any amount to take back.
And keep those little niecie-toys away from those puppies!
Instead of buying used toys, check out the Dollar store in your area. They have a pet section with dog and cat toys. I have also purchased stuffed animals intended for children at the Dollar store.
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