Wildlife rehabilitators free raccoon's head from peanut butter jar

Aug. 7 (UPI) -- A raccoon in search of a quick peanut butter snack had to be rescued after its head became stuck in a plastic jar.

Wildlife In Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation shared video captured by Cathy St. Pierre as she and her husband Bobby Horvath worked to free the trapped raccoon.

"This young raccoon thought peanut butter would be yummy!" St. Pierre said. "Well he got his head stuck."

Video showed the distressed raccoon wandering a backyard with its head securely trapped inside the jar, which St. Pierre said remained stuck for several hours.

"Animals will so do that. If they smell something appetizing they'll put their heads in there to get the snack and won't have the dexterity to get themselves out," Horvath told Newsday. "The best advice is when throwing out a jar, make sure to put the cover back on."

The couple, who are both wildlife rehabilitators, eventually managed to get a hold of a raccoon and covered it in a towel before pouring cooking oil on its neck to gently twist the jar off its head.

Horvath said the raccoon appeared healthy and quickly scampered away after being freed from the jar.