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Lifestyle & Human Interest

Workers Find Dog Stuck in Puddle of Tar After Hearing Pup's Cries for Help

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It was a typical spring day in May when a group of construction workers in Suwałki, Poland, paused to try to make out a troubling sound that had been echoing through the woods.

Faint, but repetitive, the noise sounded like the distressed call of an animal. Unable to avoid the worrisome cry, the workers went to investigate.

The workers knew the situation was more than they could handle as they glimpsed an animal lying helplessly in the forest.

It was a small dog, trapped in a large puddle of thick, sticky tar. His entire left side and head were immovable, and all four paws sank deep into the murk.

The crew called animal rescuer Joanna Godlewska, who works with the Niczyje Animal Foundation in Poland.

When Godlewska reached the scene, she was overcome with heartache for the dog.



“When I finally arrived and saw a dog lying in the tar, tears came to my eyes,” Godlewska told The Dodo.

While nobody will ever know exactly how the dog ended up in the tar pit, rescuers suspect the dog was seeking warmth when he decided to lay down, not knowing he would become desperately stuck.

Godlewska worked with a team of firefighters to free the frightened, exhausted pup, who they named Farcik.



Using a pair of scissors, they cut Farcik’s fur coat to remove him from the worst of the tar. Covering his fur with a generous amount of cooking oil, rescuers managed to lift the weary pup out of the tar.

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Through it all, Farcik seemed to respond with a hopeful, resilient spirit. Godlewska did not know how long the dog had been trapped in the tar, but he certainly seemed glad to see some human helpers.

“He understood that we were saving him,” Godlewska said.

Farcik was quickly seen by a veterinarian and received a much-needed scrubbing to remove more of the tar. One scrubbing was not enough to clean his fur, and Farcik ended up needing multiple baths before he was fully clean.

With each new wash and dry, Godlewska could tell that Farcik was feeling better. She credited everyone involved that day with saving the pup’s life and told The Dodo that eventually, Farcik would be ready for adoption.

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A graduate of Grand Canyon University, Kim Davis has been writing for The Western Journal since 2015, focusing on lifestyle stories.
Kim Davis began writing for The Western Journal in 2015. Her primary topics cover family, faith, and women. She has experience as a copy editor for the online publication Thoughtful Women. Kim worked as an arts administrator for The Phoenix Symphony, writing music education curriculum and leading community engagement programs throughout the region. She holds a degree in music education from Grand Canyon University with a minor in eating tacos.
Birthplace
Page, Arizona
Education
Bachelor of Science in Music Education
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Lifestyle & Human Interest




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