Virginia Construction Worker Saves Dying German Shepherd Through Mouth-to-Mouth
Katherine Rodriguez
A Virginia construction worker saved a dying German Shepherd stuck in a traffic jam on the way to the veterinarian’s office by giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
The three-year-old dog, Jett, was choking in the backseat of his owner’s car after he swallowed a ball during a game of fetch, the Staunton News Leader reported.
Jett’s owner, Teresa Perkins, tried to go above the speed limit to the veterinarian’s office to save his life, but ended up stuck in traffic because of construction.
Perkins frantically honked her horn in the hopes someone would help her and wound up catching the attention of a few construction workers who rushed to help her.
“By then, my dog was pretty much dead,” she told the News Leader. “He was laying in the car, not moving. I had heard him breathe, like gasping, but then he quit. I was frantically crying and praying.”
Update: Thanks everyone! We found him! His name is Cavaja Holt! A true hero🦸🏻♂️
So, today my moms German Shepard, Jett, died. He was playing fetch outside, and he caught the ball and it got lodged in his throat. They attempted to get it out but couldn’t, so my mom and sister and her bf got him in the car and my mom rushed to take him to the vet. He was still breathing, but you could tell he was struggling. Well, my mom got down the road a little bit and she noticed that he ...
But one quick-thinking worker was able to maneuver his arm down Jett’s throat to pull the ball out and then give the animal mouth-to-mouth while one of his coworkers egged him on, Perkins said.
His actions worked, and Jett started breathing again. Perkins was able to continue to drive to the veterinarian’s office, where the staff was expecting them so that he could be examined. Jett was quickly released.
Though Perkins did not get the construction worker’s name, social media eventually connected the two.
Perkins’s daughter and the construction worker, Cavaja Holt, both posted on Facebook about the incident asking friends and followers for help in getting back in touch with each other.
If anyone knows the ladie come by our work zone on Delphine in front off Speedy’s about an hour ago that had the beautiful black German Shepard that had a ball stuck in his throat can y’all please tag her in this? I’d like to know how he is... Today is the first time I’ve ever stuck my hand down a strange dogs throat for any reason but I got the ball out not only that but is the first time I’ve ever gave any living animal mouth-to-mouth but I got his ass breathing and I hope he did good
“Today is the first time I’ve ever stuck my hand down a strange dogs [sic] throat for any reason but I got the ball out,” Holt wrote. “Not only that but is the first time I’ve ever gave any living animal mouth-to-mouth.”
Perkins hailed Holt as a “hero” and thanked him for saving her dog’s life. She told the News Leader that Jett is feeling better now.
“He’s doing great,” she said. “But he is never, ever, ever, ever going to get a ball again.