Losing a close family member is tragic, even if they were part of your life for a short period of time.
Barry Miller not only lost a new member of his family in a sudden accident, but his best friend: His beloved six-month-old puppy Leo.
The dog owner is now issuing a warning to everybody who owns a cat or dog about the dangers of certain snack packaging, and you'll definitely want to spread the word!
"I don't want anyone else to go through the heart ache I'm feeling."
As most pet owners know, dogs and cats will do just about anything to get their paws on food, which is why we make sure to keep them out of reach.
But sometimes it takes only a second for disaster to strike.
When Barry's parents were dogsitting Leo while he was at work, the pup managed to sneak into the kitchen cupboard without anyone noticing and took out a large packet of chips.
"[He] took it into the garden and tragically the packet quickly suffocated him," Barry shared on his crowdfunding page.
"It's devastating and not something I ever thought I would have to worry about," he added in an interview with ECHO.
Now the dog owner is working hard to spread awareness about the dangers of certain snack packaging.
"If you have any [chips]/cereal or any other bags cut them up just in case your pet ever gets hold of one."
As tragic as Barry's story is, he hopes that by sharing his story, no pet will share the same fate as Leo.
He's asking people to cut up, remove, or lock away potentially dangerous snack packaging to prevent future accidents.
When eating from plastic packaging, Barry urges pet owners to put them in a bowl, just in case "you leave the room even for minute."
"Please please be careful with your pets. I don't want you to be in the same position as me. I never realized the danger posed by crisp packets."
[H/T: ECHO]