Snuggle Safe Warning!!

A forum where caretakers of elderly, disabled, and handicapped pets can chat with one another about topics that don't fit in other categories.
Post Reply
Christine
Moderator
Posts: 4089
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 3:50 pm
Location: Sautee Nacoochee, GA

Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by Christine »

I have a doghouse in the corner of my front porch for Penny and Panda to use while we are gone and for Panda to sleep in at night. They often cuddle together in the doghouse. We went to the doctor and to do some Christmas shopping.

Before we left, I put the Snuggle Safe in the microwave for 8 minutes.(This is the max time suggested and the time I have always used unless it was already really warm.) When I took it out, it was a lot softer and hotter, but I really didn't think much about it as I have used it for more than two years in the winter only. Even used it as a foot warmer for myself.

I put it in the doghouse under a sheepskin shirt inside Panda's little bed on top of Penny's bigger bed which is on top of more blankets and the house is covered with a insulated blanket. We left at 9:30 and returned at 4:00. The first thing Glen said was to get the Snuggle Safe and rewarm it as it is in the teens here today. I went out to get it and when I lifted the blanket covering the doghouse, a chemical burning smell went straight to my sinuses. Glen came out and I said, "Come and smell this..what is it??" He thought someone was burning something in the neighborhood. I reached in and realized it was coming from the doghouse! I pulled the bedding out and to my horror, huge holes were burnt and burning through all the beds. We threw everything out on the gravel and doused it all with water. The Snuggle Safe had a hole in it and all the chemical had leaked out. I am shaking as I type this to think of all the possibilities and the things I could have lost, the least of which was our house. I could never have forgiven myself if anything had happened to my animals.

I have always loved this product and for some unknown reason, this time, 8 minutes was too long, I just want everyone to be aware and be careful. I wrote this same thing to the makers of the product.

Here are pictures of the bedding and Penny and Panda.
Attachments
Penny Christmas.jpg
Close Face.jpg
DSCN0613.JPG
snuggle safe fire 2.jpg
12-14-10 snuggle safe fire.jpg
Image
Christine... and Bailey, playing at the Bridge
?/1999 - 10/25/08
User avatar
LisainCAN
Moderator
Posts: 568
Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by LisainCAN »

Wow Christine.

I am sure glad everyone is okay.

Lisa.
User avatar
CarolC
Moderator
Posts: 13698
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 7:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by CarolC »

:shock: Shaking my head in disbelief. Thank God everyone's OK.

You can possibly save someone else's "everything" by reporting it to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. I think the authorities need a certain number of reports before recalling something, and who knows, yours might be the last one they needed to take action.

http://www.cpsc.gov/talk.html
Christine
Moderator
Posts: 4089
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 3:50 pm
Location: Sautee Nacoochee, GA

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by Christine »

I will definitely do that. I have posted it on my Facebook page and another forum I participate in as well as friends with pets. I washed my hair this morning and I will have to wash it again before I go to bed. I cannot get the odor off of me and I have changed clothes since I cleaned everything up.
Image
Christine... and Bailey, playing at the Bridge
?/1999 - 10/25/08
Christine
Moderator
Posts: 4089
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 3:50 pm
Location: Sautee Nacoochee, GA

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by Christine »

I just wrote to them and since I get a lot of animal rescue requests, I sent a note with this link to everyone on their list. Please send it out to anyone else you all feel might benefit...Yahoo groups, etc.
Image
Christine... and Bailey, playing at the Bridge
?/1999 - 10/25/08
User avatar
troopersmommy
Posts: 188
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:45 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by troopersmommy »

I'm so glad you are all okay. I almost bought some of those, but I have so many babies it would cost too much. Instead I bought childrens sleeping bags. Works real well inside the dog houses, good padding, & soft.

By the way, Happy early Birthday! Ya'lls safety & well-being is the best birthday/Christmas gift you could ever get. :5balloons: :party:
"When a child loves you for a long, long time...REALLY loves you, then you become Real." " Does it hurt?"
"Sometimes..When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

Words I live by from "Velveteen Rabbit"
Christine
Moderator
Posts: 4089
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 3:50 pm
Location: Sautee Nacoochee, GA

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by Christine »

Thanks, Pam. I just can't get this out of my mind and the odor just permeates the doghouse. I made Panda a new bed using a rolled up quilt into a donut with a warm sweater sewn shut and filled with stuffing in the middle of the donut. It put it in the dryer to get warm and then into the doghouse. When I get home from work, I am washing the doghouse with Lysol or something...psychologically, I just can't take it.

And thanks for the birthday wishes....I have recently had the best Christmas and birthday presents anyone could ask for.
Image
Christine... and Bailey, playing at the Bridge
?/1999 - 10/25/08
sdrakkan
Posts: 128
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2009 1:34 am

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by sdrakkan »

I know I don't sell them, but now I can give warning to any pet parents looking into them.

It actually reminds me of a guy who bought a Zoo-Med reptile heating pad for his outside dog house...and didn't read directions. It would have been fine but it was set on metal. It set the side of his house on fire and he wanted to sue us. It says right on the packaging "NO contact with metal". Oooooo he was mad...
http://sabrieldrakkan.deviantart.com/
http://sdrakkan.webs.com/index.htm
4 Ball Pythons, 1 Cornsnake, 3 Boas, 3 Tarantulas, 1 Quaker Parrot, 2 Tuxedo Cats, and 21 darling rescue Rats.
User avatar
Bendy Kitty
Founding Member
Posts: 2674
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2001 7:00 pm
Location: central NC
Contact:

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by Bendy Kitty »

thanks for the warning!! that is very scary. very glad no one was hurt, hopefully the vile smell kept them out of the house!

we have several of these we use on occasion, but mom rarely heats them for longer than 4 minutes because she is always pararnoid. now she is glad for that paranoia. We will share your post all around!

bendy
In loving memory of Bendy Cute Kitty 9/15/00-4/23/12

Meet the cats at Bendy's Home http://www.alittletlc.com"
bakeneko
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2010 2:38 pm

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by bakeneko »

Oh that is quite spooky! That is lucky that no one was hurt!
Mom2many4leggedkids
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2010 2:24 pm

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by Mom2many4leggedkids »

How absolutely scary!!! Thank goodness your kids were OK and the house is ok, too!

I have used them off and on over the years, but had one leak through the cover and the inside gel got on one of my babies! No fire, thank goodness and not enough to burn, just stuck in the fur and had to be cut off. Scared me bad enough to throw them all out!!!
Christine
Moderator
Posts: 4089
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 3:50 pm
Location: Sautee Nacoochee, GA

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by Christine »

Surprisingly (or maybe not), I have not received a response from anyone I wrote to and I sent them this link so they could see the pictures.

Now, when Panda has to be out in his house, I throw all his new blankies and pet beds in the dryer for 20 minutes and I use my hair dryer to blow warm air in the house before I add the warm bedding and we call it a day.

Please, everyone, send this link to any of your friends and rescue lists, etc. Looks like this is the only way anyone is going to be informed.
Image
Christine... and Bailey, playing at the Bridge
?/1999 - 10/25/08
User avatar
Bendy Kitty
Founding Member
Posts: 2674
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2001 7:00 pm
Location: central NC
Contact:

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by Bendy Kitty »

Christine wrote:Surprisingly (or maybe not), I have not received a response from anyone I wrote to and I sent them this link so they could see the pictures.
that is about as disturbing as the incident itself.
can you send them the pictures directly instead of links?
is there an 800 number you can call?
i sent the link to the post to all my rescue friends.

bendy
In loving memory of Bendy Cute Kitty 9/15/00-4/23/12

Meet the cats at Bendy's Home http://www.alittletlc.com"
User avatar
CarolC
Moderator
Posts: 13698
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 7:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by CarolC »

Why not send the information to PetsMart and PetCo if they sell this product?
Christine
Moderator
Posts: 4089
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 3:50 pm
Location: Sautee Nacoochee, GA

Re: Snuggle Safe Warning!!

Post by Christine »

I Googled to see who distributed it and sent the link to those I found, including giving a review with the link on Amazon. I will do some more searching. I am guessing Snuggle Safe would rather not acknowlege any problems and they probably think I am thinking of suing. I am a little surprised that I am not hearing back from Consumer Products, though.

Just finished informing the following companies:
Entirely Pets
Healthy Pets
Pet Supplier
National Pet Pharmacy
Pet Smart (although it does not look as though they carry it anymore)
Petco
Valley Pet
Jeffers Pet Supply
PetScriptions
Dog.com
Revival Animal Health

I even posted a thread on Hedgehog Central Forums because they showed up in my Google search as discussing the Snuggle Safe.

I am open for more suggestions.
Image
Christine... and Bailey, playing at the Bridge
?/1999 - 10/25/08
Post Reply