Bodycam Footage Shows Officer Rescuing Raccoon With Jar Stuck on Its Head
By: Ohio police officers have rescued a raccoon that had a jar stuck on its head in Erie County.
Bodycam footage shows the critter running across a gas station parking lot with its head completely enclosed in the object.
"Protect and Serve took on a little different meaning while Officer's McDermott and Waechter were getting gas last night," the Perkins Township Police Department said in a Facebook post alongside the footage.
The raccoon, named "Bandit" by the police officers, continues to run in circles, appearing unsure as to where it was going. The jar, which seems to have labels on the outside, may have been completely restricting its view.
Raccoons are found all across the state of Ohio, and in recent years, their population has been increasing. They are often found in urban areas searching for food, but as they are nocturnal, they can wander around cities without running into people. Raccoons have a versatile diet, meaning they can find food in trash and throughout urban environments. But, sometimes, their tendency to wander into populated areas gets them into trouble, and trash like jars and packaging made from plastic poses a serious risk to the animals.
In the video, the raccoon can be seen running up to the officers. Officer McDermott reaches down to pull the jar away from the animal's head. The vessel does not come off easily at first. The police officer can be seen twisting the jar slightly, attempting to ease it off the critter's head.
"We're gonna help you, buddy," the officer can be heard saying in the footage. "Hold on. It's OK, boy."
With another tug, the jar eventually comes off, freeing the raccoon. "There you go," the officer says as the animal comes free.
"Officer McDermott successfully removed the jar and Bandit runs away!" the police department said on the Facebook post. "It's often asked what is a typical day in law enforcement, and here's proof that there is no typical day. Great job to Officer McDermott and helping one of our "residents!"
This is not the first time a raccoon has been found in this predicament. In July, the Painesville Police Department, northeast of Cleveland, found a specimen with a mayonnaise jar stuck on its head, local news outlet WKYC reported.
Officers Chad Balausky and Steve Ettinger managed to remove the jar after struggling with the raccoon, trying to get it to sit still.
"You never know what you'll see on night shift," the Painesville Police Department said at the time.