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Mariposa County sheriff’s deputies are, according to their boss, “empowered to protect, serve and enrich” their community — including any helpless critters that find themselves in a tight spot.

Such was the case Tuesday when two lawmen risked getting skunked in order to help a fellow mammal out of a bind.

Deputy William Crane, seeing a skunk with its head stuck in a plastic cup, first tried using his baton to free the animal as Sgt. Mike Charman shined the patrol car’s headlights on the situation from a safe distance while filming the rescue attempt.

Crane worked to pry the cup off the skunk’s head as it scurried back and forth. When that didn’t do the trick, the deputy grabbed the cup with his bare hands.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.