Saskatoon police breathe easy after saving skunk

After encountering a skunk with a paper cup over its head, Saskatoon police came out smelling like a rose.

Several officers found the skunk at around 2 a.m. Wednesday while they were on patrol on the west side of the city.

The nocturnal mammal was running around in circles on Avenue Q South, paper cup lodged firmly on its head.

"It stuck its head through the opening in the plastic lid for the straw and couldn't get its head back out," Staff Sgt. Wayne Walker said.

The officers wanted to help but were careful, Walker said.

"One member tried the get the cup off the skunk's head with his expandable baton, and he tried to knock it off but he wasn't too successful," Walker sad. "He ended up retreating quite a few times."

Finally, one of the officers was able to get close enough to reach in and pull the cup off.

The skunk quickly ran away, making no attempt to spray anyone, Walker said.