New Canaan Police are urging residents to remove soccer and lacrosse nets when not in use after an owl injured himself badly after getting entangled Tuesday morning.
The owl before being rushed to Wildlife In Crisis. Photo credit of the New Canaan Police Department
The call came in to Animal Control Officer Sean Godejohn at about 9 a.m. from a Carter Street residence.
“The owl was heavily entangled in the soccer net when I arrived,” he told NewCanaanite.com. “The owl had patches of missing feathers from where he tried to desperately free himself. The owl had a number of cuts, scrapes and lacerations from the friction of the net against the owl’s fragile wings and neck. I ended up cutting a hole in the soccer net all around the owl as he kept entangling himself as I tried to release him.”
The injured owl at Wildlife In Crisis. Photo credit of the New Canaan Police Department
He said that when not in use, “the best practice” is to remove such nets from a yard.
“I’ve had to rescue all sorts of animals from nets with all kinds of injuries including people’s own pets,” he said.
After freeing the animal, Godejohn rushed the injured owl directly to Wildlife In Crisis in Weston, a donor-supported nonprofit organization that tends to injured wildlife.
“Owls have incredibly strong talons and a sharp beak,” Godejohn said. “So, in order to not hurt the owl or myself a volunteer helped me remove the rest of the soccer net off of the owl’s neck and wing. Wildlife in Crisis will be doing some x-rays on the owl but are hopeful that this young owl will make a full recovery.”
Poor baby! Thanks to those who rescued this creature. I hope it makes a full recovery.
Important warning to take down all these nets when not in use. Most people are not aware of this danger. Who will and how can this advice be spread to the entire community?
Thanks to our Animal Control Offider and Wildlife in Distress for bringing this baby back to good health!
Wildlife in Crisis is an amazing gift to our communities. It is run solely by
donations from the public. There is no paid staff or interns. Interns are trained by Dara Reid, the (also unpaid) Executive Director. All donations go
directly to the care of the animals. Medicines are expensive. We should be so fortunate as to have Wildlife in Crisis as a multi-community resource.
I have recently moved away from Weston, but I still support WIC.
Thanks Nancy, 100% agree. Such an important organization.