Animal rescue officers at Martin County sheriff's office in Stuart, Fla. were able to rescue a choking pelican after responding to a call about a sick bird. Photo by Martin County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

STUART , Fla., Jan. 21 (UPI) -- Police in Florida were responding to a call about a sick pelican when an animal service officer realized the bird was choking.

Martin County sheriff's office in Stuart, Fla. told the story of the rescue in a Facebook post, explaining how officers Heather Belknap and Kimberly Guile were able to remove a fish stuck in the pelican's throat.


"Officer Belknap was able to capture the struggling animal, immediately realizing that it had something lodged in its throat," the post read. "Officer Guile assisted Officer Belknap by holding the pelican,while Officer Belknap opened its beak and inserted her arm into the bird's mouth."

The officers were ultimately able to remove the fish, as the pelican immediately showed signs of relief and was released back out into the ocean.

The Martin County sheriff's also commended the two officers for their quick action.

"We can't brag enough about the great work our animal services unit does, but some of their rescues are so incredible, we just have to share," they wrote.