Although firefighters are primarily known for putting out active flames, they have other job duties that we often don’t recognize them for. These include searching for victims in a fire, treating sick and/or injured individuals, and completing written reports after emergency situations. In addition, most of us know that firefighters may get an occasional call to save the life of an animal. For instance, you’ve probably seen a movie or cartoon where a firefighter climbs a tall ladder to retrieve a frightened cat who got themselves stuck in a tall tree.
It turns out, situations like the latter are calls real-life firefighters actually receive, let alone, tend to. About two weeks ago, a team of firefighters, along with animal rescuers of the Riverside County Animal Services in Coachella, California, were credited with saving the life of a three-month-old Australian cattle dog whose head was stuck in the hole of a metal tire rim.
Initially, the rescuers lubricated the canine’s neck, hoping her head would easily slide right out. But unfortunately, her neck was already too swollen to safely glide her free.
Seeing that the stuck pup was in a pretty serious state of distress, the rescuers safely transported the puppy, who was still lodged inside the spare tire’s rim, to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus’s Veterinary Services Division. There, the dog was relaxed with a sedative.
The firefighters, who were later called, got to work. Firefighters Tony Bribiesca and Virgil Messer used a sawzall to carefully cut the metal surrounding the cattle dog’s head without posing injury to her in the process. With careful teamwork and a hole now big enough for the dog’s head to escape the tight grip of the rim, the team was able to successfully rescue the dog!
Shortly after she was rescued, the puppy happily chowed down. She was, however, observed overnight by professionals before being returned to her owners.
Although she’s doing great now, the situation was certainly worrisome for both the dog as well as eyewitnesses.
“It was so worrying to me. I was trying to imagine how the heck she got put in that position and you just got to remember that puppies will be puppies. Just curiosity,” said Riverside County Care Technician, David Hough, said to CNN. “There was probably food on the other side of it or something, she just crammed her head right through.”
Poor girl had no idea what she had coming! In the end, the firefighters and animal care rescuers involved in this fiasco were true heroes, and I’m sure the anonymous puppy was thankful for their assistance.
Watch the pup get saved in the video below!
