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Last Saturday, EcoWaste bought a fake Rainbow Loom bracelet making kit (P240/set) and seven other packs of loom bands (P15-35/pack) with no market authorization from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) that are being sold in Divisoria and Quiapo Manila. For his part, Thony Dizon, coordinator of EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect, urged the public to be cautious when buying counterfeit bracelet making sets and related items that are cashing in on the latest craze. “As the rubber band bracelet craze hits the country, we urge fans to remember that these loom bands could spell danger for pets and should be handled with care to prevent pet injuries,” Anna Cabrera, executive director of PAWS, said. One pet owner had rubber bands surgically removed from her pet’s stomach, the groups cited. (Ali Vicoy) The accidental ingestion of rubber bands also prompted the manufacturers of the original rainbow loom to advise pet owners to keep the indigestible rubber away from pets. The “loom bands” are used to weave rainbow loom bracelets, which is one of the current fads in the country. ‘LOOM BAND’ CRAZE – A vendor places colorful rubber bands in a plastic bag at a stall in Divisoria, Manila, yesterday. Symptoms of intestinal blockage also include loss of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea. They aired the warning after veterinarians in the United States reported cases of intestinal obstruction among pet patients due to the ingestion of rubber bands that causes stomach upset and damage to the intestinal tract.
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In a joint statement issued by the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and EcoWaste Coalition, the groups emphasized the potential harm posed by cute but hard to digest rubber bands used to make bracelets that can make cats and dogs ill. Cause-oriented groups yesterday warned the public, especially those who are into rainbow loom bracelet weaving, to exercise extreme care to avoid harming animals and pets from accidentally ingesting rubber bands.