Baby Great Horned Owl Rescued After Falling into Concrete Mixer

Owl's Unusual Rescue

• 🦉 A baby great horned owl was found covered in dried concrete after falling into a concrete mixer at a construction site.
• 🏥 The owl was brought to Best Friends Animal Society in Utah for treatment.
• ⚠️ This is the first case of its kind in the organization's 40-year history.

Cleaning and Treatment Process

• 🧼 The delicate cleaning process required anesthesia, steady hands, and specialized tools like hemostats and forceps to gently crush and remove larger concrete pieces.
• 💧 Smaller concrete pieces were crumbled away with fingertips, followed by baths in Dawn dish soap and water, and thorough drying.
• 🧑‍⚕️ Although initially scared, the owl was surprisingly cooperative, becoming feisty only by the third day, which is typical for an owl in distress.

Recovery and Future Release

• ⏳ The owl, estimated to be a male weighing two pounds, will remain in care for several months.
• ✈️ He will be moved to progressively larger enclosures to test his flight capabilities.
• 🪶 The owl is expected to molt next spring, growing fresh feathers that will hopefully allow for silent flight.
• 🌳 Once fully healed and capable of silent flight, the owl will be released back into its natural habitat near where it was found.