Santa Cruz County deputy helps free skunk from cup

A deputy with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office faced a potentially stinky situation Thursday night.

Deputy DeLaTorre came across a skunk that managed to get its head stuck in a cup on the side of the road.

“Being braver than most, Deputy DeLaTorre used skills he must have obtained at some advanced animal rescue school and swiftly freed the skunk from the cup,” the sheriff’s office said.

With holiday block parties coming up, the sheriff’s office wants to remind the public to pack their trash to keep neighborhoods clean and safe for everyone, including animals.

The sheriff’s office posted the furry encounter on Facebook and said, “P.S. Deputy DeLaTorre was very lucky and came out smelling like roses.”