Neighborhood that rallied together to help injured owl find out he’s “famous”
When an animal shelter received a call about an owl, the staff knew it won’t be a normal day.
Laura Burban has worked for the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter for years and it was her first time receiving a call for an owl rescue.
She was on it like white on rice.
A perplexing scene was unfolding on a road just in front of the Dan Cosgrove house, which was the shelter’s namesake, and it left a rather confused and concerned neighborhood.
An owl sat in the middle of the road.
It was dangerously distracting motorists and passersby.
Owl sightings are not uncommon in Branford, Connecticut. However, the bird in question was gaining attention for all the wrong and worrying reasons.
It was just sitting in the middle of the traffic, and whenever people would come close to investigate, it would spread out its wings as if offering a challenge.
The owl knew it was in danger.
But it wouldn’t take off.
Burban thought of different reasons when they got to the scene. One theory was that the bird caught a meal and was just taking a breather before it eats.
They also suspected that the barred owl was injured. However, they were no way of knowing until they can actually get a hold of it.
It took 3 officers to catch it.
Burban explained that they needed to approach it in a way that wouldn’t stress the owl.
The task was especially difficult because owls have the ability to twist their head almost 270 degrees.
One of Burban’s colleagues tried to get its attention, but its sights were locked on Burban who was walking around it with a blanket.
Owls are associated with wisdom for a reason.
“I tried to have him look at the other animal control officer who was with me,” Burban told The Dodo. “She was trying to do everything in her power to get her attention, but he just didn’t want to let go of locking eyes with me. He knew I was coming in for him.”
Fortunately, they found the perfect opportunity to drape the blanket over the owl.
It then began to relax, which allowed the animal shelter staff to transport it to a safe location. They brought the owl to A Place Called Hope.
According to the results of the tests, the barred owl has injured its “wrists” that’s why it can’t just fly out.
It is not something they can surgically fix but they can wrap it and let it heal properly.
The owl has been recovering as expected.
Local residents were also happy about the rescue because the owl has been with the community for years.
James Cosgrove, the grandson of the shelter’s namesake, even called the shelter to check on the owl.
“He said, ‘I’m calling about my owl! Everybody in the neighborhood has been asking about the owl, wondering if he’s gonna be okay.’” Burban told The Dodo.
It also wasn’t the first time a barred owl in the area has been injured.
Before the roadside call, another owl got tangled up in a soccer net.
The owl is apparently so famous in the area that it was considered the unofficial mayor of the neighborhood.
Soon enough, it will fly around the area once more.
See how a community rescued the “mayor” of their street in the original post below!
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