Officers from the Pennsylvania Game Commission consistently rise to the occasion when an animal is in peril.
This was certainly true when Sergeant Ritter learned of a small animal stranded in the water at Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania.
Upon his arrival at the lake, he began to investigate and ultimately discovered a distressed creature near the water’s edge.
With her wings submerged, the bird was in dire straits. The officer promptly captured a photo and sent it to the Raven Ridge Wildlife Center.
The staff advised him to transport the bird directly to their facility.
Swift and Effective Rehabilitation
When the officer arrived at the center with the bird, they quickly identified her as a Great Horned Owl. Staff members speculated that she may have been flying quickly in pursuit of prey when she collided with a cement wall, leading to her fall into the water.
Upon her arrival, the owl was fatigued, drenched, malodorous, and had injuries to both wings. Given the season’s heat and humidity, it was no surprise that flies and maggots were found on her wounds.
Despite the severity of her condition, the center’s team immediately began to treat her wounds, provide fluids, and allowed her ample time to recuperate.
However, no matter how much care they provided, this spirited owl exhibited no affinity for her rescuers and made her desires clear—she belonged in the wild.
Realizing her true home was out there, the staff quickly transferred her to an outdoor flight enclosure, where she thrived and regained her strength rapidly. They were astonished by how swiftly her recovery progressed.
“Once she began to eat independently and [her] wings [were] mending, it felt like she was on a fast track to recovery,” noted wildlife rehabilitator Tracie Young in an interview with The Dodo.
Everything was swiftly prepared for the most beautiful moment in any bird’s life.
Destined for Freedom
Exactly one month after she was rescued from drowning, the rehabilitated owl was taken to a nearby area filled with open fields and trees.
The moment she caught the scent of freedom wafting through the air, she spread her wings and took off without a glance back.
“The owl wasted no time in taking flight and immediately disappeared into the thick tree line,” the Raven Ridge Wildlife Center expressed with enthusiasm in their Facebook post.
Young was particularly mesmerized by this moment.
“Every animal and every release, especially with birds of prey and owls, it’s such a relief when you witness their flight,” Young shared. “They’ve been given a second chance. They are once again free.”
