In what can only be considered a true feat of bravery, a raccoon in Florida has managed to get its head stuck in a jar and then climb up a tree. Whether it was a particularly tasty jar of pickles or simply a poor decision by the raccoon remains unclear, but what is certain is that the animal is now stranded and in need of help.
Authorities were alerted to the situation when a nearby resident noticed the poor little guy frantically trying to free itself from the jar. Concerned about the raccoon’s well-being, the resident immediately called animal control who quickly responded to the scene.
But upon arrival, authorities realized that this was no ordinary rescue mission. The raccoon had climbed high up into the tree, leaving animal control with a difficult decision to make. Do they attempt to climb the tree themselves and risk injuring themselves and the raccoon? Or do they wait it out and pray for a miracle?
In a surprising turn of events, it seems that the raccoon was not the only one to have made a poor decision that day. As it turns out, the jar in question was actually a recycled plastic container that had not been fully rinsed out before being disposed of. So not only did the raccoon have to suffer the humiliation of being stuck in a jar, but it also had the added pleasure of enjoying the remnants of someone’s mediocre lunch.
Despite the absurdity of the situation, animal control says that this kind of thing is actually quite common. Apparently, animals will often get their heads stuck in jars or other containers in their endless pursuit of food. But in most cases, the animal is able to free itself before any harm is done.
Unfortunately for this particular raccoon, he was not so lucky. As the sun began to set, animal control made the difficult decision to leave the raccoon in the tree overnight with the hopes that it would free itself in the morning. It was a risky move, but one that paid off. By morning, the raccoon had managed to free itself from the jar and climb down the tree to safety.
In the end, this story is a reminder to all of us to be more careful about our waste disposal. Sure, it may seem harmless to throw that empty jar of peanut butter in the trash without rinsing it out first, but the consequences can be dire. So next time you finish off the last of the Nutella, take a moment to rinse out the jar and think of the brave little raccoon who sacrificed its dignity for our gastronomic pleasure.
