While out on a leisurely stroll in a suburb of St. Louis, two women saw something that made them do a double take. At first, it looked like some sort of animal with a long cylindrical head – but as they got closer, they realized it was a dog in desperate need of help.
As the women called 911, they approached the dog even closer and saw that its head had become stuck in a discarded PVC sewage pipe.
The St. Louis Fire Department responded to the call, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department. When they saw the predicament that the dog had gotten itself into, rescuing the poor dog wasn’t going to be as easy as they thought.
“I am guessing the dog got himself in that predicament by doing what dogs do best — following their noses,” a police officer at the rescue told The Dodo. “And I think it was a sewer pipe, so it probably smelled like cologne to him.”
It took over 15 minutes of cutting the pipe while comforting the dog before it was finally removed from its head.
“[It] doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re struggling to hold down a big, squirming, scared dog, it feels like longer,” the officer explained. “The dog was so scared, we assumed he would jump up and run as soon as he was free, but the dog was just exhausted. He didn’t want to move.”
The dog had been unable to eat or drink with the long pipe on its head, but now that it was off, it appeared that the dog was otherwise healthy – just a bit shook up from the entire ordeal.
“I’ve rescued more than [a] few stray dogs over the years. It’s always a great morale boost,” the officer said. “But this was definitely the most unique!
The dog, a pit bull mix, was taken to the City of St. Louis Animal Care Center for medical evaluation and to scan for a microchip – it came back negative.
Having only been there for a few hours, the entire shelter staff quickly began to fall for the sweet, curious dog.
“His demeanor was really shy, and definitely scared, but still just a total sweetheart,” Olivia Isom, the administrative coordinator at the shelter, told The Dodo.
The staff began to search online for potential ‘lost dog’ postings and put his picture up on sites as well. However, nothing seemed to come about. Needing a name, Isom decided to call him McCartney – after the famous frontman of The Beatles.
Having failed to find any information on McCartney, the only option seemed to be adoption. Luckily, one shelter worker had his eyes on him since the day he arrived.
Dawn Wizeman had been looking for the perfect dog for her family. A dog that could interact with her 3- and 8-year-old children, as well as a very stubborn cat. Knowing her dad worked at the shelter, she gave him a call – he suggested she come meet McCartney right away. They had an instant connection.
After just moments with McCartney, Dawn knew that he was the perfect dog for her family. She signed the adoption papers and drove him home – a place where he could roam around, sniff, and explore without worry.
“He seems to like it out here,” Dawn Wizeman told The Dodo. “He has 6 acres to run, and aside from the cat being a bully, he’s adjusted fairly well.”
Even though he’s only been with his new family for a few weeks, he seems to be as happy as ever. However, he certainly has he quirks.
“I’m trying to figure him out, because he doesn’t seem to know how to dog,” Wizeman said. “He just wants to lay around and hang out with us. And when we go outside, he lays under the porch where it’s cool. He’s just the strangest dog, but he’s so sweet.”
McCartney’s pipe incident might have been scary, but we’re so glad it led him to a family that loves him. Watch the rescue in the video below.
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