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Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society

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OWL (Orphaned Wildlife) Rehabilitation Society
AbbreviationOWL
Formation1985
Founded at3800-72nd Street, Delta, British Columbia, Canada
TypeNon-profit organization
Registration no.119075026RR0001[1]
Legal statuscharity
PurposeAnimal rescue, rehabilitation, welfare, education
Region served
British Columbia, Canada
ServicesRescue, treatment and rehabilitation of injured and orphaned birds of prey; public education including school and community groups; on-site education and public tours; wildlife museum; advice and guidance to the public on wildlife issues.
Staff2 full-time, 4 part-time
Volunteers
500 + (as of 2024)
Websitehttps://www.owlrehab.org

The OWL (Orphaned Wildlife) Rehabilitation Society is a wildlife rescue and raptor rehabilitation centre permitted to care for sick, injured, and orphaned birds of prey which includes eagles, falcons, hawks, ospreys, owls, and vultures.[2][3] OWL is located in Delta, British Columbia, Canada.[4][3]

History

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OWL was founded in 1984 in response to growing needs to help with the care and rehabilitation of raptors. Originally operating out of a small home in Surrey, British Columbia, OWL relocated to its current location at 3800-72nd Street in Delta in 1985.[5][3][6]

Activities

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OWL is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of raptors only. They mitigate and respond to wildlife emergencies including weather events such as heatwaves,[7] cold snaps, and wildfires, often ending up with over seven hundred raptors in care in a year.[8][9] The birds come from all over the province of British Columbia, with the majority coming from the Lower Mainland.[10] On occasion, birds come from neighbouring provinces and the United States of America requiring different permits.[2] They are transported to OWL by a network of volunteers including trucking companies, airlines, community groups and others.[11][8][12][13]

Wildlife hospital

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OWL's hospital is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year to care for raptors in need. Wildlife rehabilitators and volunteers work together to provide care to the bird patients.[14][15] Local veterinarians assist, donating care and services when a raptor requires surgery. Since its foundation in 1985, thousands of raptors have been treated by OWL.

Wildlife helpline

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OWL is available 7-days a week, 365-days a year to answer calls from the public with questions regarding raptors in need. During events such as a heat dome,[7][16][14] forest fires or cold snaps, phone calls from the public increase dramatically.

Education programs and events

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OWL provides education resources through their onsite and offsite education programs,[15] their virtual education program,[17][3] their public tours and their social media. OWL provides work experience to high school and veterinary students, and volunteers from various Canadian provinces and other countries.

Every year, OWL hosts an Open House, a two-day event that includes the release of a raptor on each day,[18][19][20] and a one-day winter fundraiser,[21] usually in December.

Notable rescues

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  • OWL volunteers used a volleyball net, a front-end loader, a fire truck and six hundred feet of marine rope to rescue a juvenile bald eagle stuck in a water treatment settling pond in Richmond in 2019.[22]
  • In 2020, a northern saw-whet owl surrounded by a thick pile of feathers indicative of a cat attack was picked up by a volunteer for PROWLS north of Powell River. It was flown to OWL in Delta to be treated. After seven weeks of rehabilitation, it was flown back to Powell River by Pacific Coastal Airlines and released back into the wild.[23]
  • In 2021, a barn owl being attacked by crows flew into the gap between pallet stacks at Art Knapp in South Surrey. OWL volunteer June Young attended and with the help of an Art Knapp worker using a forklift to move the first layer of pallets, June tried to ease the barn owl backwards. The owl grabbed hold of June's bare arm with its free leg and buried its claws in June's arm. The owl was rescued and taken to OWL and June had to go to the emergency.[24]
  • Matt Pistell was driving 25 km north of 100 Mile House in the Interior in British Columbia one dark night in December 2022 when a large owl flew into his windshield. Through the truckers who often assist OWL, the owl was transported to OWL in Delta. She had a concussion, damage to her right eye, and injuries to her left leg. In March 2023, after several months of rehabilitation, she was transported back to the Interior where she was released.[25]
  • OWL treated a trio of golden eagles for lead poisoning in 2024. All three were found near Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast. They were lethargic and not flying away. OWL believed the primary suspect of the lead poisoning was from ammunition used in hunting.[26]
  • On January 9, 2024, residents of Quesnel noticed an eagle who had been shot. The eagle suffered from lead poisoning and was shipped to OWL for rehabilitation via Bandstra Transportation Systems. On April 11, 2024, the rehabilitated eagle was released at the West Fraser Timber Park in Quesnel where it was reunited with its riverside friend.[12]
  • In January 2024, Fort St. James residents Brad Hoy and his wife rescued an injured eagle, braving snowbanks to reach it. The Hoys secured the injured eagle in a dog crate and transported it to OWL. The eagle suffered from lead poisoning and a broken wing. After five months of rehabilitation, the eagle was successfully released back in the Fort St. James community.[27]

Funding

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OWL is a not-for-profit charitable society that relies on donations from the public and the support of companies and corporations who provide donations, sponsorships, material, and supplies.

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References

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  1. ^ Canada Revenue Agency. "OWL (ORPHANED WILDLIFE) REHABILITATION SOCIETY — Quick View". Government of Canada. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b Kennedy, Grace (September 7, 2018). "Helping birds a passion for staff at Delta's OWL rehabilitation centre". North Delta Reporter. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Ludwig, Michaela (March 23, 2019). "Spotlight: OWL Rehabilitation Society". British Columbia Magazine. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  4. ^ Holmes, Tracy (April 9, 2023). "Raptor meet-and-greet returns with OWL open house". Peace Arch News. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  5. ^ "O.W.L.(Orphaned Wildlife) Rehabilitation Society v. Beverly Day". Supreme Court of British Columbia. 2018 BCSC 1724. October 9, 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  6. ^ Pedersen, Rick (2019). "Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (O.W.L.)". Goes To 11 Media. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  7. ^ a b Penaloza, Dani (July 6, 2021). "Heat wave leads to record numbers for Delta's OWL Society". Vancouver Is Awesome. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  8. ^ a b Booth, Mark (March 1, 2021). "More respect for wildlife would mean less work for OWL". Delta Optimist. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  9. ^ Pawson, Chad (April 23, 2016). "Delta rehabilitation centre sees dramatic rise in bird rescues". CBC News. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  10. ^ Kennedy, Grace (May 4, 2017). "Delta raptor rehabilitation society opens for its annual open house". North Delta Reporter. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Community Involvement, OWL Orphaned Wildlife Rehab". Huff Animal Hospital. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  12. ^ a b Peebles, Frank (April 20, 2024). "Free as an eagle in Quesnel skies". Williams Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Love has Wings: O.W.L." Pacific Coastal Airlines. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  14. ^ a b Staley, Roberta (Spring 2024). "A Wing and a Prayer, Wildlife hospitals near Vancouver are seeing a huge influx of patients due to climate change, but staff and volunteers remain determined to work miracles". BBC Wildlife Magazine. 42 (4): 56–63.
  15. ^ a b "OWL Rehabilitation Centre not just for owls". FortisBC. 24 September 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  16. ^ Diakow, Thor (July 7, 2021). "Hot weather brings record numbers to Metro Vancouver wildlife rehab centre (VIDEO)". Delta Optimist. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  17. ^ Munteanu, Nina (27 August 2023). "Learning About Raptors with OWL". The Meaning of Water. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  18. ^ Jonca, Lukasz (July 7, 2014). "OWL gets by with a little help from its friends". Delta Optimist. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  19. ^ Holmes, Tracy (April 18, 2024). "Get up close with birds of prey at OWL open house in Delta". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  20. ^ Kinnear, Jim (May 8, 2024). "Gallery: PHOTOS: OWL Open House". Delta Optimist. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  21. ^ Holmes, Tracy (November 20, 2023). "Winter fundraiser returns to raptor-rehabilitation centre". North Delta Reporter. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  22. ^ Smith, James (November 28, 2019). "Video: Delta raptor rehab group rescues bald eagle from sewage treatment pond". North Delta Reporter. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  23. ^ "PROWLS and Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society treat northern saw-whet owl". PROWLS. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  24. ^ Holmes, Tracy (July 8, 2021). "PHOTOS: Barn-owl rescue in South Surrey ends with hospital visit for OWL volunteer". North Delta Reporter. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  25. ^ Dickson, Courtney (March 26, 2023). "After getting hit by a truck, this great horned owl has been rehabilitated and released back into the wild". CBC News. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  26. ^ Johnson, Paul (April 4, 2024). "Eagles and death metal: Trio of raptors found on Sunshine Coast with lead poisoning". Global News. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  27. ^ Paul, Binny (May 3, 2024). "Fort St. James community celebrates as rehabilitated bald eagle soars back to freedom". Vanderhoof Omineca Express. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
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