Animal Rescue

Puppy Finds Herself Stuck in a Wheel Predicament

Firefighters used a cutting tool to remove a 3-month-old Australian cattle dog who was caught in a spare wheel

Riverside County Animal Services

A 3-month-old Australian cattle dog is recovering after firefighters responded to an unusual report of tire trouble in Riverside County.

The puppy was stuck after poking her head through the center of a spare wheel Wednesday in Coachella. When Riverside County Animal Services Officer Jose Cisneros arrived, the puppy's head was sticking through the center hole of the wheel.

And, she wasn't budging.

Cisneros slathered her in cooking oil in an effort to slide the puppy out, but her neck was too swollen to slip back through the hole. After consulting with colleagues at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, the puppy was sedated to calm her.

Video shows the team of rescuers carefully carrying the tire and supporting the drowsy dog's head.

CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire firefighters Virgil Messer and Tony Bribiesca soon arrived with the right tool for the job -- a versatile Sawzall, which can make precise cuts through metal. Firefighters sawed off pieces of the wheel, freeing the puppy who earned the hashtag #WheeliePup.

She quickly chowed down some food before resting overnight. Animal services said she will be returned to her owners.

Contact Us