Curious puppy learns sticky lesson

Firefighters are well known for rescuing cats stuck up trees, but a Labrador stuck in a fence was a more unusual request for a local fire crew.

Inquisitive pup, Bubba Girl, needed the help of firefighters after she got her head stuck in a metal fence.
The 6-week-old puppy had been exploring her new outdoor cage when she poked her head through the bars of the gate.

Bubba Girl's owner, Mya Davies, tried using dishwashing liquid to lubricate around the puppy's ears but the dog was stuck tight.

"After that I didn't know what to do and the dog was getting stressed," she told the Bay of Plenty Times from her Gate Pa home.Genevieve Helliwell

"I had to hold on to the puppy because it was choking itself. It was starting to get really stressed."

Out of options, Mrs Davies phoned the Tauranga fire brigade and asked for help.

A fire truck turned up within five minutes but was quickly diverted to a car crash.

A second truck arrived shortly after and the crew used bolt cutters to remove the puppy's head from the metal gate.
 

"She's the only female in a litter of four and she's spoilt by the mother and eats a lot - because she's fat she couldn't get her fat head out of the gate," Mrs Davies said.

"[The puppies have] only just started eating and now they're pooing so we have to get them out of the house. We were putting them in their new outdoor cage."

It took firefighters just minutes to free the dog. Afterwards the puppy, given her name by Mrs Davies' 11-year-old daughter Rebekah, had a good feed and was "happy as".

Mrs Davies was thankful for the firefighters' help.

"I didn't know what to do other than ring the fire brigade. If they hadn't have come, well it scares me thinking about that," she said.

To ensure the puppies don't go exploring again, Mrs Davies put a new gate at the front of the puppies' cage.
"We've used the fire cover from the fireplace so it won't happen again," she said.