‘Totally tangled up’: Good Samaritans save owl trapped in southwest Calgary soccer net
A group of neighbours ended up saving an owl that had become trapped in a southwest Calgary soccer net on Monday morning.
Torie Findlay says her children and a few others were passing through a field in the community of Patterson on the way to their bus stop when they spotted the ensnared bird and alerted some adults.
"It was upside down and it was totally tangled up," Findlay said. "The poor thing was probably there for hours."
"Handling it was really scary," said Findlay, who used welding gloves and a towel to grasp the bird.
"I was able to get a hold of it's feet, because it was trying to scratch us with its talons."
Torie Findlay and Derek Jugnauth rescued an owl that had become tangled in a Calgary soccer net on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. (Torie Findlay and Derek Jugnauth)It was Derek Jugnauth who then cut away all the ropes.
"We then were able to cut him completely free and get some of the netting off – he was still kind of wrapped up.
"Torrie actually walked him home. She had an animal carrier and put him in there and was calling a rescue and rehabilitation society."
Findlay ended up looking after the owl for about four hours before it could been seen by a vet.
Torie Findlay and Derek Jugnauth rescued an owl that had become tangled in a Calgary soccer net on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. (Torie Findlay)The Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society told them this happens too often.
"They (said) it's actually rather common – that soccer nets are a real death trap for wildlife and birds in particular," Jugnauth said.
"They did say that it's a bit rare to catch an owl, but other kinds of birds are commonly caught up in them."
Torie Findlay and Derek Jugnauth rescued an owl that had become tangled in a Calgary soccer net on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. (Torie Findlay)Fortunately, the bird's injuries are minor and it will be released back into the wild soon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
A Nigerian chess champion plays the royal game for 60 hours - a new global chess record
A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York City's Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.