Dog in Malaysia freed after hours with head stuck in tyre rim

KOTA KINABALU – A dog in Malaysia that was believed to have had its head stuck inside a tyre rim while chasing rats or sniffing around was finally freed after hours of distress.

Owner Charles Teo said he discovered his dog, Bento, trapped inside the rim and struggling to breathe at about 5.15am on Jan 19.

“We tried many ways to get his head out, including dousing the fur with oil and placing plastic bags around the neck to help him slide out, but none worked,” he said when contacted.

Bento became increasingly stressed and weak over the next few hours, prompting his owners to turn to social media for help.

“There were kind-hearted people who came to my house to try and assist, but they also could not free his head,” said Mr Teo, adding that some even offered to sedate the dog if necessary.

Help eventually arrived after a representative from the Civil Defence Department saw Mr Teo’s social media post and offered assistance.

“Initially, Bento was aggressive, but after some persuasion and with the patience of the Civil Defence officers, he calmed down,” Mr Teo said.

With Mr Teo holding the dog’s snout, the officers carefully manoeuvred Bento’s neck, ears and head, successfully freeing him from the rim without causing any injuries.

“Thank you so much to everyone – even those we didn’t know – who came to help and offered ideas, and to the Civil Defence Department for responding swiftly,” he said.

Mr Teo said Bento was already very weak by then, but survived thanks to the timely assistance. The dog is now recovering from the ordeal. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK