California Firefighters Rescue 'Wheelie Pup' After Dog Gets Head Stuck In a Tire

Rescuers helped a dog free its head from a tire rim earlier this week — and gave the thankful animal an adorable nickname to roll with.

On Wednesday, the Riverside County Department of Animal Services responded to an alert about a 3-month-old Australian cattle dog who managed to lodge its head inside a spare tire in Coachella, California.

Sharing their rescue operation with their followers on Twitter, Riverside County Department of Animal Services officials initially tried to oil the puppy’s head to slide it out, but, due to swelling in the dog’s neck area, the slick plan did not work.

In a press release, the department explained that using cooking oil to help lubricate an animal stuck in a tricky situation is a “common tactic.”

When that method didn’t work, the team sedated the dog to keep it calm, and contacted the Riverside County Fire Department for reinforcements.

The firefighters then transported the dog and its wheel to a safe place, where they could use power tools to cut the rim and free the animal’s noggin. The dog — deemed “Wheelie Pup” by rescuers — quickly ate food afterward.

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“Rescued! Thank you to our comrades,” wrote the Department of Animal Services on Twitter along with footage of the moment the dog was freed from the car part.

Updating a concerned follower of the animal rescue’s play-by-play, the Department of Animal Services team said on Thursday that they found Wheelie Pup’s owners.

“Owners contacted us about what had happened; reunion should happen Thursday morning or mid-day; we are still caring for puppy,” the department tweeted.

On Facebook, the Department of Animal Services — which offers many pet services, including adoption, education and licensing — described the eventful day of animal rescuing as “strange, scary [and] exhilarating.”