Team Goemkarponn
BOGMALO: A stray dog that spent nearly 10 agonising days with its head lodged inside a discarded plastic container was successfully rescued at Chicolna in Bogmalo on Tuesday.
The canine, which had been unable to eat or drink properly for more than a week, was traced following persistent alerts from vigilant local residents.
The animal had been spotted several times over the past week, but earlier rescue attempts were unsuccessful as the frightened dog repeatedly fled into dense vegetation. The breakthrough came on Tuesday after fresh information reached animal welfare workers that the dog had once again been spotted in the Chicolna-Bogmalo area, with its face still firmly trapped inside the rigid plastic container.
Responding swiftly, a joint rescue team comprising District Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) officer and People for Animals (PFA) rescuer Kelly Menezes, along with local residents Christine and Panchayat worker Ranjitha, launched a coordinated operation.
The team eventually managed to corner the exhausted animal and carefully cut away the plastic container, freeing its face without causing further injury.
Following the rescue, the dog was immediately shifted to the People for Animals facility in Vasco for urgent veterinary treatment. Medical staff are monitoring the animal for severe dehydration, malnutrition and possible respiratory complications resulting from its prolonged confinement inside the container.
Animal welfare activists credited the successful rescue to persistent reporting by residents, saying continuous updates from people in Bogmalo helped rescuers continue the search despite earlier unsuccessful attempts.
Officials urged citizens to remain vigilant and immediately report animals found in distress to local shelters or animal welfare groups, stressing that timely intervention can be critical in saving injured and vulnerable stray animals.
