Sometimes, police work requires training, specialized equipment, and a whole lot of preparation. Other times, apparently, all you need is a bucket, some cheese, and a dog who is willing to cooperate.
The Tampa Police Department recently shared footage of officers rescuing a small dog that had somehow become trapped inside a drain. Rather than overcomplicate things, officers came up with a decidedly low-tech plan to get the pup back above ground.
That plan involved lowering a bucket into the drain and using cheese to convince the dog that climbing inside was probably a pretty good idea. It worked, and officers were able to carefully lift the dog out and bring the little escape artist back to safety.
Once above ground, the dog was turned over to animal control, but the story didn’t end there. Tampa Police later shared that the pup has since found a permanent home, meaning the bucket-and-cheese operation ended about as well as anyone could have hoped.
Bucket, Cheese, and a Surprisingly Effective Rescue Plan
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In the video, you can see various officers and people attempting to save a dog from what looks to be some sort of drain. The drain looks really deep, so the officers had to lower a bucket tied to the end of a rope with cheese inside to try to scoop the pup up.
It took a few tries for the dog to understand exactly what was happening, but it ended up working out in the end. The officers were able to pull up the small dog and bring it out to safety without any additional issues.
The department also didn’t explain exactly how the dog wound up inside the drain in the first place. Considering the pup ultimately made it out safely and found a home afterward, though, that mystery at least comes with a happy ending.
Commenters Agreed Cheese Was the Real Hero
Commenters were delighted by the rescue, and more than a few gave the cheese most of the credit. One person declared, “Cheese for the win,” while another suggested peanut butter would have gotten the dog into the bucket “in seconds.”
Others were more interested in how the dog managed to get down there at all, with one commenter asking both how the pup entered the hole and why it was there in the first place. Another person shared a similar story about rescuing a cat from a drain with a sheet just before heavy rain arrived, proving improvised animal rescues apparently have quite the history.
Mostly, though, people were simply happy to see Tampa Police take the time to help. One commenter demanded officers be given “THE KEYS TO THE CITY,” which may be a little ambitious for a bucket and some cheese, but finding the dog a fur-ever home certainly gives the rescue a pretty strong closing argument.