Animal control personnel in Massachusetts came to the rescue of a young raccoon that got its head stuck in a glass jar and was rapidly running out of air.
Dedham Animal Control said on social media that officers arrived on the scene to find the raccoon running out of oxygen and appearing to be in critical condition.
“We immediately took hold of the youngster and after a few swift and gentle twists and pulls, we were able to free its head from inside the jar,” the post said.
The officers were prepared to administer CPR compressions and had a wildlife rehabilitator on standby, but “the raccoon unexpectedly righted itself within minutes after we removed the jar, leaving us cautiously optimistic, as we closely monitored its next move.”
“After a few understandable lightheaded stumbles, the youngster crawled through a fence slat and climbed to the top of a wooden swing set,” the post said.
The officers continued to monitor the raccoon for a short time and conferred with the rehab specialist before determining the animal was healthy enough to remain in the wild.
“We suspect this youngster’s family is nearby, and the wonderful residents who called us (including a very inquisitive and generous 5-year old who agreed to share his swing set with the raccoon), agreed to keep an eye on things for us,” officials wrote. “The raccoon is also nearly old enough for independence and we are confident that it will thrive in the wild as it had just proven to be quite the strong and resilient little critter!”
