A dog owner from Philadelphia made a heartwarming discovery while walking his pup around the neighborhood, and internet viewers can’t cope with it.
In a video shared on TikTok earlier in October, under the username @john_cruice, the poster says that, while he was taking the pup for his daily stroll, they stumbled upon a “Stick Library,” a tree surrounded by sticks of all shapes and sizes, with instructions for dogs to take or leave one.
“The other day I was saying how much Philly is a dog city; here in my neighborhood, there is a stick library, for dogs only. You can take a stick or you can leave a stick. Ruthie was not interested,” the poster says, as the pup rejects the stick offer. “She’s not interested today, but I think that that’s very cool,” he adds.
@john_cruice via TikTok
Users on the internet also loved the idea, and some said that their neighborhoods had these little dog oases, too. “We have a stick library outside my house except my dog is the only patron and he’s forced to leave them outside,” posted Abbey Solomon.
Madelinelanestory commented: “We [are] moving to south Philly Now!!!”
While some dogs, like Ruthie, may not be interested in sticks at all, most pups generally love them, and both behaviors are totally normal. However, sticks may not be the best toy choice for your pup.
An article by Betterpet, medically reviewed by Dr. Dwight Alleyne, says that, though letting your dog play with a stick once in a while probably won’t harm them, sticks can be dangerous, so you should always supervise your pup around them.
If your canine chews their stick too much, it can break up and form splinters, which can cause oral injuries, and travel to other areas of their body such as their eyeballs, nose and throat.
Sticks also pose a choking hazard for dogs, and, if ingested, can damage their digestive track. Moreover, some types of wood, including those from walnut, apple, black cherry, red maple, yew, and red oak trees, are considered toxic to dogs. Parasites and fungi could also be lurking unnoticed.
Other toys that may be dangerous for your pup, according to an article written by Dr. Beth Turner for Preventive Vet, include bones, which can lead to constipation and choking among other things; hard cheese; cow hooves; and elk or deer antlers.
Nylon chew toys are also not advised because they are very hard on your dog’s teeth and are known to lead to tooth fractures. Pigs ears and ice cubes are also a no-go.
What Toys Can You Safely Give to Your Dog?
When choosing toys for your dog, you should make sure that they are tough and long-lasting, but not harder than their dental enamel because that can damage their teeth. They should also be in a size that suits your specific dog, and should also be digestible, in case of swallowing.
It is also important that you chose toys that won’t splinter and cause choking, and that do not contain harmful chemicals that can be toxic to your pup.
While each dog is different and there is no perfect toy for every pup, taking these things into account when buying a new toy for your pet will help keep them safe.
The video quickly went viral on social media, getting viewers from across TikTok. It has so far received over 171,000 views and 20,900 likes on the platform.
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