RSPCA condemns disturbing new social media trend involving pets

The RSPCA has slammed a new social media trend where people dump ice cold water on their pets, sparking fears it could become a thing in Australia.

People have uploaded videos of themselves pouring water and ice on their pets. Picture: TikTok

The RSPCA has slammed a new social media trend where people pour water and ice on their dogs, with worries it could soon spread to Australian shores.

In a dark twist on is meant to be a harmless challenge, an alarming number of people are filming themselves pouring cold water on their pets under the guise of supporting mental health.

Originating in 2014, the Ice Bucket Challenge went viral and raised millions for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) research. A new version of the challenge, started by the University of South Carolina, was launched earlier this year to raise funds for the mental health organisation Active Minds.

Participants were encouraged to use the hashtag #speakyourmindchallenge and share videos of themselves being doused with cold water and ice.

One video shows a person spraying water directly at their cat. Picture: TikTok

But the challenge has since been hijacked by some pet owners, who changed the hashtag to “#barkyourmindchallenge” and began filming their dogs’ reactions as cold water is dumped on them.

Even more worryingly, some creators of these videos attempt to shirk responsibility by claiming they minimised any risk to their animals while participating in the trend.

After dumping water on his dog, one person wrote in the video caption, “He’s OK, I gave him a treat and dried him off.”

Another wrote, “It’s warm water, don’t come for me,” after pouring water on a cavoodle.

In one video, a dog appeared to be shivering with a towel on its back before water was poured on it. “He consented to this video,” the caption read.

Issuing a response toward the “haters,” one person claimed they only used warm water and avoided pouring it on the dogs’ face.

“I feel like I just did child abuse,” one person wrote in the caption of a video where they poured water on their small, frightened dog.

Another video shows a person smiling as they dump water on their dog. Picture: TikTok

“I love him, I swear,” another wrote.

Another person said their dog had the “lamest” reaction to the challenge, despite the dog clearly not enjoying the water being poured on it.

One person uploaded footage of a dog being thrown into a pool, adding the caption “I promise she’s OK.”

Others justified their participation in the trend by saying it was “for a good cause.”

It’s not just dogs that could be harmed by the activity — people are also dumping water on their cats too.

“She didn’t scratch me totally,” one person wrote in the caption under a video where she poured water on her cat.

In another video, a person tried to paint the activity as harmless before pouring water from a large jug onto their cat, adding the caption, “We love playing harmless pranks on each other.”

Slamming the viral trend, a RSPCA spokeswoman called on Aussies to do better.

Another video shows two people with a large bucket of water, laughing as they pour the water on the dog. Picture: TikTok

“The RSPCA has been made aware of a social media trend coming from overseas featuring videos of dogs having an ice-cold bucket of water thrown over their head – like the ‘ice-bucket challenge’ people do to raise money for MND.

“The RSPCA strongly advises Australians not to take part in replicating a similar video because it is cruel and distressing and potentially harmful for your dog.

“The RSPCA has a strong message for Australians to save the ice bucket challenges for willing human participants only, and – if considering a social media trend like this – to stop and consider the impact on the animals involved.”

Originally published as RSPCA condemns disturbing new social media trend involving pets