A rebellious black lab is thankful to be alive this week thanks to a few good Samaritans. The scared animal was running around a park in North Mankato, Minnesota for three weeks with a plastic jug stuck on its head.
When Katherine Nelson, her husband Don, and their friend Sue Leach heard about the unfortunate dog they tried to capture it and remove the jug for three days with no luck. Police had reported that the poor pooch had been stuck that way for at least three weeks, but no one could capture it.
With no food or water for that amount of time, the Nelson’s and Leach were afraid that he wouldn’t last much longer and they knew they had to do something. Their first idea was to set a live trap with food in it to catch the dog, who they nicknamed “Jughead.”
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That strategy didn’t work, but when they went to check the trap on the morning of March 26, 2015, they noticed dog tracks in the fresh snow. They followed the tracks and found Jughead sleeping in a swampy area that was filled with brush.
Knowing that the dog couldn’t bite him, Don Nelson snuck up on Jughead and grabbed him. The dog struggled for a few minutes, but didn’t have the strength to resist any longer. The rescuers were able to load him into their van easily and they took him to the Minnesota Valley Pet Hospital.
The emaciated dog didn’t have much time left, but thanks to the Nelson’s and their friend Leach he made it to the animal hospital just in time. Jughead was able to wiggle free from the container, and the workers at the hospital have agreed to donate their services to nurse him back to health.
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Once Jughead is discharged from the facility, the Nelson’s will bring him home to live with them on their farm while he recovers. They have other dogs that he will be socialized with and they’ll be able to monitor his recuperation closely.
Once he has fully recovered they will try to find him a forever home. Police noted that reports suggest the dog may have been on the loose for more than a year, so the Nelson’s are hoping to find him a home with a fenced in yard.
Local authorities have taken this opportunity to remind everyone to crush up old containers before they throw them out or put them out for recycling. Containers with slim necks can entice animals and once they get their heads in, it can be very difficult to get them out.
