Dog Stuck With Bucket On His Head Endures Days On Illinois Streets, Too Scared To Accept Help

One day, the Gateway Pet Guardians team from St. Louis, Illinois, got a call about a stray dog in trouble. The poor pup had a purple bucket stuck on his head, and the situation was far worse than they first thought.

But before this happened, the rescuers had been trying to catch this dog for days. He had been spotted multiple times, but every time they got close, he managed to escape.

Then, one day, temptation took over. The dog found a cheeseball bucket, and he couldn’t resist. His hunger got the best of him, and before he knew it, the bucket was stuck around his head.

With the bucket completely blocking his sight and his breathing, the team knew this wasn’t just a nuisance. This was a matter of survival.

The pup’s situation was critical, and time was running out. But he was scared, so scared that no matter how hard the rescuers tried, he wouldn’t let anyone near.

Days passed, and the pup remained elusive. One day, a concerned citizen sent in a photo and pinpointed the pup’s location. The rescue team acted quickly, but the dog slipped away.

It wasn’t until the next morning, with a team of rescuers from Stray Rescue of St. Louis, that they finally got close enough. But even then, the pup darted off before they could get hold of him. He was too scared of people to accept help.

At this point, the rescuers knew they had to act fast. The little guy couldn’t keep running forever, and his fear was getting the best of him.

So, with no other choice, the rescuers used a sedative dart to slow him down enough to get him safe, as they shared in a Facebook post:

“We sent a team of staff out, including one of our veterinarians armed with a dart shooting apparatus with a mild tranquilizer. We weren’t going “home” without him!

And it worked! After all those failed attempts, they finally caught him, and the bucket just popped off.

The poor thing had been trapped with it for at least three or four days without food or water. Had they been even a little later, things could’ve been so much worse. But somehow, this little pup, now known as Buckethead, was still hanging on.

At first, Buckethead was terrified, probably because of everything he’d been through. But once he realized he was safe, his whole personality started to shine, as the shelter shared:

“Once the tranq wore off, and he realized the bucket was gone and there was fresh food and water available, he was a much happier boy.”

The dog who once feared humans so much became a total lovebug. After everything he’d been through, it was incredible to see how quickly he opened up.

He quickly became a staff favorite, showering everyone with kisses and showing just how sweet and gentle his heart really was. He was so friendly and easygoing, fitting right in with the other pups.

Buckethead, who had once been so frightened of the world, now seems ready to love and trust again. The shelter is hopeful that the right family will find him and give him the forever home he deserves.

He has come a long way, and despite his rough start, he’s a true survivor with a heart full of love just waiting to be shared with someone lucky enough to call him their own.