While investigating a plastic cheese ball tub thrown in the rubbish, poor Oreo got his head stuck inside accidentally. Unable to free himself and completely disoriented, the dog wandered blindly into the surrounding woods.
When a passerby finally spotted the dog in distress, they contacted the non-profit organisation Jack Jack’s Pack immediately. After speaking to neighbours, the volunteers learned a heartbreaking truth. Oreo had been wandering around like this, unable to eat or drink, for over a week. He was suffocating slowly. "His strength was fading, and every second counted," the charity wrote on Facebook.
Military drones to the rescue
Given the vastness of the wooded area and the urgency of the situation, the rescue team pulled out all the stops. They called in Greg Whiting, a military drone operator, alongside Cameron Woldhagen and Justin Cox from the organisation Backcountry Drones. On the ground, numerous volunteers, including members of Lost Paws Rescue of Texas, mobilised to search the area.
Thanks to this aerial technology, rescuers located Oreo in the middle of the woods at last. An animal control officer used a sedative dart to calm the stressed dog, allowing rescuers to cut the jar off safely and bring him to safety.
A gentler life
Freed from the plastic trap that almost cost him his life, Oreo was placed with Meredith, a highly experienced foster carer. After years of struggling on the streets, the pup is proving incredibly resilient and is adapting beautifully to his new-found comfort.
"Oreo is learning slowly but surely that the world can be a gentler place," the charity Jack Jack’s Pack shared happily in a post. "Adapting to indoor life after years outside is a major transition for a dog with his background, but he is doing it with so much heart." Now surrounded by love and cosy beds, Oreo has left his worst days behind him for good.