I wanted to post this report on the retractable leashes from Consumer Reports. I checked it out and it appears to be true. I know a lot of people love these leashes, but I've always had trouble with them. I have had a tendency to grab them when the dog gets too far (instead of using the leash controls to do that) and I've had "rope burns" on my hand. I'd rather post this and be on the safe side.
Heather Todd didn’t bring a leash with her the day she took her pooch Penny to a pond near Boston in 2005. So she borrowed a retractable dog leash to help keep her Labrador retriever in check. But it didn’t. The 90-pound dog suddenly took off running and dragged Todd across the sand.
When she came to a stop and recovered her wits, she spotted something lying on the sand. With horror, she realized it was a human index finger; with greater horror, she realized it was her own. The cord of the retractable leash had looped around her finger and pulled taut when Penny bolted.
“It just cut it off like a sharp knife,” Todd says. She wrapped her hand in a towel, grabbed the finger, and headed to the hospital, but doctors were unable to reattach it. Todd, who’s now in nursing school, says there are times when her missing finger causes problems. “I get by. You just adjust,” she says.
Todd’s story may sound like a freak accident, but retractable leashes are responsible for a surprising number of injuries each year, including amputations. In 2007 there were 16,564 hospital-treated injuries associated with leashes, according to Consumer Union's analysis of statistics collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Of those, about 10.5 percent involved children 10 and younger; 23.5 percent involved injuries to the finger. The CPSC's data does not parse the leashes into types but it's likely that the amputations were caused by retractable leashes.
The most common injuries reported were burns and cuts, usually sustained when the cord came in contact with skin as it rapidly paid out from the handle of a leash. Others occurred when the cord got wrapped around part of the owner or the dog. Todd sued the maker of the leash as well as the distributor, as have others who have been injured by retractable leashes. Todd told us that the company settled her case for an undisclosed amount. Retractable-leash makers do put some pretty stark warnings about their products on their Web sites and on the packaging. Germany-based
Flexi, one of the largest manufacturers of the leashes, has a long page of warnings on it Web site. Here’s how it begins:
“To avoid the risk of eye or face injury and cuts, burns, and amputations to your body or the body of another person from the leash cord/tape or all belt and hook, (sic) read and follow these Warnings and Directions for Use before using your Flexi leash.”
We had a few adoptions at the picnic (who were already approved). Here are Nico and Bao with their new dad! These are two of the nicest Peke boys and I know they'll be wonderful playmates in their new home.
And here is Teddy. His owner now lives in the DC area, so it was easy for her to come to the picnic. Teddy is about 12 now and came to her when his original mom went into a nursing home.
And here is another beauty! Can you see Melanie on the side?
This is Pooh-- I love her coloring!
And each year, we give out a Most Valuable Peke Person award-- this year is was Melanie! She has done an amazing job on the new web site. Melanie and Susan have done all the work on it, and keep it updated for us. Susan also does our newsletter. And they both help with transport, and many other aspects of rescue. (I don't have Susan's picture at the picnic-- maybe I'll get one from someone else.)
Melanie is with me and I'm holding Chance-- I think he was camera shy. Chance is my new foster dog and he's a sweetheart! He's deaf, but is a loving dog who follows me everywhere.
Here's Melanie! Congratulations on being our Most Valuable Peke Person for this year. And thank you for all that you do!
