Couple claim dog ate their winning lottery ticket

Reminding us of school days when you’d forgotten to do your homework, a couple in the US has claimed their dog ate their winning lottery ticket.

The couple from Salem, Oregon, named Rachael and Nathan Lamet, were eventually able to laugh it off as officials believed their excuse.

The pair joked they’d need to invest in more chew toys for their two Alaskan Klee Kais dogs – 11-month-old Apple and Jack, 2.

Apple and Jack decided the $3 Pharoah’s Gold Crossword ticket the couple had purchased was a snack and chewed the ticket up after they had left the room.

Rachel explained: “For some reason we left the ticket on the ottoman and they decided it was delicious.

“I went to bed and when I woke up it was eaten to the point that I thought it was unable to be checked.

“But my husband thought it was hilarious and someone might get a good laugh at the very least. He said it's for sure a winner.”

Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Officials at Oregon Lottery kindly accepted the recovered shreds of the ticket and were able to piece it together enough to deduce that the couple had just won… $8.

The couple were still able to enjoy their $8 winningsOregon Lottery

The pair found the whole thing hilarious and were taken aback that the ticket had actually been a winning one.

Rachael said: “That’s too funny. We are definitely getting more chew toys, they go through a lot. We love them, but they are crazy sometimes.”

In a press release, Oregon Lottery advised players to keep tickets out of reach of “furry friends”.

It read: “Lottery officials recommend that you always sign the back of your tickets with each Oregon Lottery game you play, to ensure you can claim any prize you may win.

“In the event of winning a jackpot, players should consult with a trusted financial planner or similar professional to develop a plan for their winnings. And above all, make sure the ticket is out of reach of any furry friends!”

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.