Wild/Stray hunting dog has a collar that is making it difficult for him to swallow?

He will take food from my hand but doesn't want to be touched. I can see that the collar has already cut into his neck. What can I do. He's been hanging around the neighborhood for about two years now and several neighbors have been feeding him. The collar, as best as we can tell, has no identification. How can I get the collar off of him without calling Animal Control who will only put him down. Any help will be appreciated.

You can try to catch him & take it off.Chances are if it is cutting into his neck that it already might be embedded into his neck. Meaning he will need surgery to get it out or at the very least needs to be sedated to get it off.

Try crushing up a sleeping pill ( maybe two ) in his food and wait for him to go to sleep then you and some neighbors can cut it off

Animal Control will NOT just put the dog down. It will get lower cost, life-saving vet care. The collar will have to be surgically removed from the neck. If you don't want them to do it (cheaper) & then offer to take the dog back & give it a home, then YOU take it to a vet and have it done. The dog could die from the embedded collar either through: slow strangualtion, starvation, infection or if wild, it could die from untreated heartworms.

somebody needs to suit up and get prepaired to take it off before he dies and if you cant call animal control if you live in a town like that they wont put him down if u ask. try calling and getting some advise

Bait a live trap with food & catch him. Get him to a Vet. You can even just take the whole live trap with the dog in it. The Vet can sedate him, remove the collar & treat.

Try feeding the dog something he really likes like some hamburger in a bowl and try putting a leash around his neck to hold him. You may need someone to help you. After the leash is around the dog try removing the collar. There are some shelters that are no kill shelters. Try finding one in your area that will take this poor dog. He doesn't need to be out in the cold with no one to worry about him. Or find him a home.