Pleasant Hill police officers swoop in to rescue baby owl after tornado
A baby owl is recovering after it was injured in the tornado that swept through its home in Pleasant Hill on April 26, 2024 — and it has two Pleasant Hill police officers to thank for its rescue.
Officers Mason Roberts and Nate King were surveying damage at Oakwood Cemetery early Saturday morning when someone came up to them to alert them of a bird they had found.
That's when they spotted a baby owl sitting amid the destruction.
"It was just him on this little stick sitting there, nothing around him," Roberts said. "He was obviously scared."
He said he could tell something was wrong with the owl, which he named "Hooter." So, he called animal control. The owl was then transported to the Iowa Bird Rehabilitation Center.
Executive Director Jenni Boonjakuakul said the owl's elbow definitely has bruising, but she can't tell if its wing is actually broken. She said the bird is already doing better Sunday.
"He's doing really good. Last night he ate quite a few small mice," Boonjakuakul said. "He's a lot more active this morning as well."
The owl will soon be transferred to another rehab center. But it'll be a couple of months before he's back in the wild.
Roberts said he is thankful for the short-lived friendship. He said this incident goes to show just how committed the police department is to serving the entire community when danger strikes.
"It doesn't matter if it's a person, doesn't matter if it's an animal," Roberts said. "If you need help, we're going to be there."
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PETA honors PHPD with with 'compassionate award' for saving owl
PETA announced on May 7 that it was honoring PHPD with the group's Compassionate Police Department Award for saving the owl.
“Thanks to the helpful mindset and quick action of Officers Roberts and Stover, this baby owl was saved from a terrifying predicament,” PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said in a news release “PETA encourages everyone to follow their example by never hesitating to aid animals in danger or to look for animals who need help after tornadoes or other disasters.”
The department will receive a framed certificate and vegan chocolates from PETA.
