A pet dog had to be cut free from the buckle of her car seat after the tiny pooch became trapped in a ‘freak accident’.
Lola the dog was rushed to her local vet following the incident but trained staff failed to release three-year-old miniature pinscher by lubricating and shaving her leg.
Scared that they could break the dog's leg if they pulled too hard the practice staff were left with no choice but to phone the fire brigade to help free Lola from the buckle.
Holly Ravenhall, from White Cross Vets, told Stoke-on-Trent Live : “This was a very unusual case and something we’d never seen before, but dogs have a habit of surprising us and Lola is no exception.
“The buckle was completely stuck on her leg. We tried lubricating it and shaving the hair around it to create more space, but nothing was working.
“Because Lola is such a small dog, there was also a real risk that pulling it could break the fragile bones in that part of her leg, which would have led to a whole host of complications.
“In the end, it became clear that it needed to be cut off and that’s when we decided to call the fire service’s non-emergency number. They were fantastic and promptly turned up in a fire engine, with all the kit.
“We initially thought she’d have to go under a general anaesthetic for the procedure, but they had a tool that was perfect for the job, and they cut it off in a matter of minutes, with Lola staying calm throughout, much to everyone’s relief.”
Lola’s owner Leighanne Harrison, from Wolstanton, said she was a very excitable dog and liked to stand up on car journeys, so they used the harness.
On this occasion she became trapped while the harness was being removed and Ms Ravenhall said they had called Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service because “nothing was working”.
Lola’s owner, Leighanne Harrison, said: “Lola is really nosey and likes looking out of the window, so we always use a safety harness, attached to the seatbelt, to keep her safe and secure.
“However, when we were taking it off, she somehow managed to put her leg through the buckle and it quickly became completely stuck.
“We knew we needed to get some help and decided to call White Cross Vets who we have been with since Lola was a puppy. They were fabulous but had to get the fire service involved because the buckle was metal and we’re extremely grateful that they were able to help.
“Thankfully Lola wasn’t traumatised by the incident and still loves her car journeys, but we now hold her paws when we’re taking the harness off to make sure it never happens again!”
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