A mischievous puppy found itself in an unfortunate predicament over the weekend, prompting the collaboration of two specialised rescue teams to free the dog from its new and impractical collar.
On Saturday a family approached Abermain fire station, situated northwest of Newcastle, carrying their dog Mia whose head just so happened to be stuck in a large cable spool.
Despite Fire & Rescue officers’ best efforts to free the pup, they concluded it was “well and truly stuck” and asked for further assistance from the local volunteer rescue association.
“The firies didn’t have anything to cut it with,” Vicki West, member of Cessnock District VRA rescue squad, told Yahoo News Australia. “They were trying to spread it open but that just wasn’t working.”
“We’ve got a tool called a reciprocating saw… we used that to cut the hole just big enough to get the dog out.”
The rescue teams worked together to soothe the distressed dog while removing the animal’s head from the spool, believed to be stuck after “curiosity” got the better of her.
“The puppy was getting a bit upset from the saw so we would settle her down a little bit and then cut some more,” Vicki said.
Long process’ to safely remove dog
The rescue mission took “the best part of a hour and a half”, according to Fire & Rescue officers, but their patience and determination paid off.
“She was so grateful, her tail was wagging and licking our hands,” Vicki said. “We got lots of cuddles too… it was worth it.”