Raccoon with head stuck in jar helped by police, passerby

While out on an early morning delivery route June 25 in Mentor, John Laws noticed an unusual sight — a raccoon with its head stuck in a jar.

“I drive for The News-Herald and deliver to stores in the area,” he recalled later that day.

“I was going down that way on Corduroy Road over the bridge toward the Mentor Marsh, and I saw this animal wandering around the road, and it was kinda strange.

“He was wandering all over the bridge that goes over the Mentor Marsh,” Laws continued.

“I called the Mentor Police Department, and the dispatcher stated she would send an officer out and asked if I would meet him where the raccoon was on the roadway.”

Captain Andrew Lehner, who is acting police chief of Mentor until Kenneth Gunsch returns from a temporary leave, says even though they don’t have the equipment to help every animal, Mentor PD at least tries to help the ones in need or distress.

“We do what we can. It depends on the animal and what kind of help is needed,” he said.

“We don’t have any facilities to care for, treat, or store any animal. If there is an animal in need, we try to find at least someone better equipped depending on the need.”

After the officer arrived on the scene, he tried to remove the jar from the raccoon’s head alone but was running into some trouble. The raccoon was very scared and was still wandering all over the roadway, according to Laws.

“The officer was trying to keep him out of the Marsh and from going onto residents’ property,” Laws said.

The officer then asked him to try contacting the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and animal rescue while he continued to try to get the jar off. The ODNR was closed and in the meantime, another unidentified driver stopped to help.

The officer was eventually able to get the raccoon while the other driver was able to grab the jar.

“The officer kind of cornered the raccoon, and this other gentleman lifted the raccoon by the jar, it did run away a few times because it was scared, but after a few tries they got it off,” Laws said.