Going the Extra Mile to Help a Barred Owl

Some time ago, we received a call from Ashley at the Auburn Pep Boys to let us know that an owl was caught on razor wire (that was also wrapped with barbed wire), next to their shop. Dozens of crows had been attacking it all day, but the owl put up a good fight, even throwing one of the crows to the ground. Colleen, one of our volunteers, called the shop but didn’t receive a call back. After discussing it with Dr. White, who was concerned that the owl might not make it through the night because of the low temperatures, Colleen went home, got her husband, son, a box, and ladders, and together they went to find the bird, which turned out to be a Barred Owl. It was dark and cold when they arrived at Pep Boys at 8 pm. Josh, a Pep Boys employee, said the owl was no longer on the wire but very likely in the blackberry bushes behind the fence. Colleen’s husband made his way through the underbrush and stickers and gathered the owl, which was very docile, and at 8:30 Colleen called Dr. White, happy to say the rescue was successful. The injured owl lived through the night in an incubator at SSCC, but radiographs the next day showed the owl’s right wing was too badly broken to fix. Sadly, it had to be euthanized. Everyone, from Colleen and her guys to Dr. White, interns, and staff, put in a great effort to save this owl. Sometimes we just don’t know if an injured animal or bird can be saved, but we do what we can to give it its best chance. We’re so grateful to volunteers like Colleen who go the extra mile (sometimes literally) to help animals in need.