Firefighters respond to ‘head’ stuck in landscaping stone. It wasn’t what it seemed

Michigan firefighters responding to a call for help had heard that a “head” was stuck in landscaping stone.

But there was a little bit of miscommunication, according to a July 31 Facebook post from the Portage Department of Public Safety.

When first responders arrived, they actually found a hedgehog trapped between stone — not a human head.

And the hedgehog was someone’s pet, officials said.

“The prickly, pokey, pet became trapped in some landscaping stone near the station and crews utilized calming reassurance and our Hurst Jaws to safely extricate the descendant of the famed Sonic of video game lore,” the department said.

Hurts Jaws of Life tools are often used to save people trapped in vehicles and tight spaces.

“(The hedgehog) was reunited with his owners none the worse for wear,” authorities said.

Portage is about 60 miles south of Grand Rapids.

This story was originally published August 1, 2023 at 9:14 AM with the headline "Firefighters respond to ‘head’ stuck in landscaping stone. It wasn’t what it seemed."