Idiotic TikTok Challenge: Animals Cry for Help

Animal videos have been hugely popular on social media for years. This time, however, the idiotic challenge promoted on TikTok by influencers has nothing to do with good fun or cute shots. Mindless fun becomes a serious threat to pets and promotes unacceptable behavior towards animals.

What is the ice bucket challenge?

The ice bucket challenge is a very popular "game" that involved taking on the challenge of pouring a bucket of cold water over yourself. The widely promoted trend was based on nominations of other people who were to complete the "challenge" within 24 hours and select other "brave ones".

The trend was popularized by Canadian hockey player Pat Quinn and his friend Pete Frates, an American baseball player. The campaign aimed to raise public awareness of the rare neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Not only social media users joined the campaign, but also celebrities from show business and politics. It is estimated that this trend has raised over $220 million to fight the disease.

Ice bucket challenge poses health risk

At its peak, the ice bucket challenge had an audience of millions. The widespread popularity of the trend of dousing oneself in ice water drew the attention of the medical community, which drew attention to the dangers of this seemingly innocent game.

If it's prolonged or even short but intense, it can sometimes trigger a vagal reaction. Someone who's taking blood pressure medication, any medication that can slow the heart rate, can faint (…) and of course, if you fall from a standing position, there's always a risk of head injury , warned Dr. Brian O'Neill of the Detroit Medical Center.

Idiotic trend threatens animal health and life

Considering that the ice bucket challenge could pose a risk to humans, it is surprising that many influencers have decided to popularize the challenge with animals as well. More and more videos are being posted on social media showing dog owners suddenly dousing their dogs with icy water.

Experts urge that such activities be stopped immediately. Even in hot weather, dogs should not be doused with cold water so strongly that it runs down their fur, because this can cause the animal to cool down. Animals, like people, can suffer from thermal shock.

In addition, even if we are the owners of the animal and know the spectrum of its behavior, we can never be sure how it will react when it gets scared. There is a huge risk that the dog will attack the person who has poured cold water on it or will run away in a panic in a direction uncontrolled by the owner.

Read also: "A miracle of nature" in the forests of Podkarpacie. Foresters have made an extraordinary discovery Read also: A giant spider has been discovered. It was named after a world-famous