At first, it looked like a bizarre accident.
A small dog, head lodged tightly inside a heavy tire rim, unable to move, terrified and whimpering for help.
Passersby thought he had just been playing.
That maybe curiosity had gotten the better of him.
But when rescuers arrived and looked closer… the truth stunned everyone.
This wasn’t just a freak incident.
The dog was skin and bones—clearly starved.
And he wasn’t stuck because of mischief.
He was trying to lick the inside of the rim, desperate to find even a drop of oil, grease, or anything resembling food.
He was so hungry, he risked everything for the smallest taste.
And it cost him his freedom.
It took hours to free him.
Rescuers had to carefully lubricate the rim, soothe his panicked cries, and gently maneuver his fragile head free—without hurting him further.
They named him Rusty—after the metal trap he escaped from.
Rusty was rushed to the vet, weak and dehydrated, but still alive.
And despite everything… he wagged his tail.
Not much—but just enough to say, “Thank you.”
Today, Rusty is recovering.
He has warm meals, a soft bed, and people who make sure he’ll never have to eat from a tire again.
He got stuck searching for survival.
But what he found was a second chance.