Any mommas with Sophie the giraffe tethers who are just now seeing the news of the possibility of mold growing inside, I've found a hack that should hopefully keep Sophie mold free for a while! If your child tends to put Sophie in water or drools on it a lot, Try hot glueing the little hole on the back to prevent moisture from getting inside! My baby doesn't put hers in water or anything like that and tends to nibble on Sophie's face and one of her feet, and I tend to wash it a certain way to avoid that little hole, but I sealed it anyways. Hope this helps some of you ladies!