Dogs make great companions. We let them get away with a lot, because they are a member of the family. But when a dog bites a lithium-ion battery we need to draw a line in the sand, and adopt safer battery handling practices. Because that’s a chore for humans, not dogs.
Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Burns on Carpet
Picture the scene in a home in North Carolina. The family has gone off to wherever they went for the evening, leaving the dog to do what dogs do. Fortunately, the father is a fire fighter who sets the smoke alarm and security camera before they leave.
The dog gets bored and looks for something to chew. It’s eye falls on a lithium-ion battery blister pack the family left on the couch. Dog jumps on couch. Guess what happens after the dog sees a lithium-ion battery device?
The dog pops the device in its mouth. We’re a little confused about happens next. WRAL News says the dog ‘broke the safety seal and chewed up the battery, leading to a fire’.
Whatever the case, we can be grateful the dog’s owner works for the Chapel Hill Fire Department, and dashed back home quickly that night. “He bit into it,” he says, “and you can see it, you know, it surprises him. And then he’s like, uh oh, what did I do?”
What Happened When the Dog Bit the Battery?
When a dog bites a lithium-ion battery, its quite possible its hard sharp teeth break through the case, and damage what’s inside. Two things can happen next in quick succession:
- A short circuit occurs inside, causing the release of high energy.
- The chemicals inside overheat, explode and start burning fiercely.
That family is so lucky the carpet did not burn. Or else that firefighter could have ended up fighting his own house fire. “When you have finished charging devices,” he says, “like you have to really pay attention and unplug them.
“You have to make sure you store them, you know, where they can’t get broken or cracked or chewed on by a dog. And then when you’re done with them, you have to dispose of them in a specific way.”
More Information
Dog Chews a Battery Power Pack
