A bear wandered around Perry Township, Pennsylvania for months with a “bucket” stuck on his head. Finally, some brave residents grew tired of watching the poor creature, dubbed Bucket Bear, suffer. So, they bravely risked their own lives to free him!
Most likely, he was just looking for a snack. But when a bear stuck his head inside what turned out to be an airbag off of a tractor-trailer, the poor thing found himself trapped.
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Residents of Perry Township, PA saw the poor bear wandering around town and started calling him Bucket Bear. They placed calls to the Game Commission who apparently couldn’t help as long as the bear appeared "healthy and mobile".
Unable to free himself, the poor bear wandered aimlessly through private yards and into traffic. His sightings became so frequent around town it garnered him a Facebook following called Save The Bucket Bear.
Credit: Dean H/Rumble
The only thing allowing the animal to survive was the fact that the bottom of the cylinder was open. So, he was still able to get just enough water and food to sustain himself. But with the wireframing of the container tight around his head and neck, time clearly wasn’t on his side. He desperately needed help.
That's when a group of locals decided enough was enough. It was time to catch and free Bucket Bear.
"He needs it off. Been there...two months like that!"
A Daring Rescue
The Good Samaritans included Dean Hornberger and Samantha Eigenbrod who have done animal rescue in the past. And after more than 2 hours of searching, they finally found the young bear.
With Samantha filming the encounter, what seemed like a simple task quickly became a chase! Naturally, Bucket Bear didn’t realize this was for his own good.
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After a long day, the pursuit finally ended in a mud pit in the woods. A wrestling match was on between the frightened bear and volunteer rescuer, Shawn Balcita.
Credit: Dean H/Rumble
It wasn't long before his 300lb frame had the bear pinned. Dean then used a hacksaw and pliers to remove the container from the bear's head. But not before Shawn made sure everyone remembered how close he was to the bear's face.
"Once we get this loose, can someone be ready to get his head away from mine?"
Not long after that, the pliers snapped the container snapped free. It took no more than a few seconds for Bucket Bear to reclaim full freedom and dart deep into the woods. Thank God these brave strangers had the courage to help!
WATCH: Nail-Biting Footage Of Bucket Bear Rescue
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