A confession made amid laughter on a podcast ended up generating a strong reaction on social media.
Chilean influencer Tere Durruty recalled on the program “Así, tal cual” an episode involving her dog Balto that quickly caught users’ attention.
During the conversation, Durruty said that at one point she began giving cigarette butts to the animal to avoid throwing them away and “hide the evidence”, since she was underage at the time and supposedly was not allowed to do so.
“We had to hide the evidence… ‘Eat it, eat it, eat it’”, the influencer recounted with laughter.
According to her own account, over time the dog allegedly began looking for and eating the cigarette butts on its own initiative. “I didn’t cause the addiction, but afterward it would eat them on its own”, she commented.
The statement prompted criticism from users who questioned why a situation like this was told as a funny anecdote, especially because of the risks it can pose to a pet.
Veterinarians warn that cigarette butts can be extremely dangerous for dogs and other animals, as they contain nicotine residue and multiple toxic chemicals. Consuming them can cause poisoning, neurological disorders, digestive problems, and even serious consequences depending on the amount ingested and the size of the animal.
The case reopened a debate about the responsibility of content creators when sharing stories involving pets and what things may end up being normalized in front of thousands of viewers.
A joke for some may represent a real danger for an animal that depends entirely on its owners.