An injured owl got some much needed help from California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers on Thursday evening.
The bird had crashed and was found lying on its back in the middle of a busy road in Stevenson Ranch just after 10:00 p.m., the New York Post reported Friday.
The officers knew they had to help the creature, so they formulated a plan that involved a cardboard box.
Video footage shows the owl nearly motionless as it stared wide-eyed at the people around it. Other vehicles appeared to slow down as they passed the scene. At one point, the bird tried to lift itself up by expanding its wings but was unsuccessful. However, the officers kept a close eye on it until they were ready to transfer the bird to the box.
One of the officers gently turned the creature over while the other officer held the box open. They placed it inside the box and secured it in their patrol vehicle, per the Key News Network video:
“The animal was transported to the California Highway Patrol office in Newhall and picked up by Castaic Animal Control at approximately 1:00 am,” the Post article said. The extent of the bird’s injuries was unclear.
A similar instance happened recently when an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper single-handedly rescued another owl found on the side of a roadway, WBNS reported Wednesday.
The clip showed the trooper gently picking up the owl that was sitting upright in the grass and gently placing the bird inside his vehicle. He took the owl to a bird sanctuary where a woman at the site took the creature into a building for evaluation:
According to the International Owl Center, owlets spend time on the ground when they are learning to fly but an owl that needs help can be placed inside a roomy cardboard box with air holes. The site said to find a rehabilitation center as soon as possible so their staff can properly care for the bird.
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