Dog gets its head stuck in plastic jug amid triple-digit heat, is saved

A Labrador-shepherd mix was saved from almost certain death after it was spotted wandering the desert Thursday with its head stuck in a plastic jug, officials said.

It wasn’t clear how long its head had been trapped inside the jug, but in a statement, Lt. Luis Rosa of the Riverside County Department of Animal Control Services said the dog “wouldn’t have lasted much longer” in the stifling, triple-digit heat.

“He would not have been able to eat or drink as long as that jug was on his head,” Rosa said. “We’re very happy we were able to help him out of a jam.”

He and another officer eventually had to use a tranquilizer dart to capture the dog in the Sky Valley area because it would bolt every time they got close, officials said.

Once the dog was sedated, the officers easily removed his “plastic prison,” the Department of Animal Services said in a news release.

After removing the jug the officers carried the dog to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms, where veterinarians said he appeared to be in good health despite the ordeal.

The dog, which did not have any identification, was being kept at the animal shelter.

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