Barbed Wire HELL

Oh God...here we go again...another Great Horned owl in serious trouble. I call this little male Steve, as in Steve and Sue who were kind enough to rescue this bird in Cartersville. They donated some Mouse Money, too, which I really appreciate. Most people don't think about the financial burden on rehabbers and you know how I hate to beg...it's so unbecoming.

I meant to have Don take pictures as I did the wire extraction and subsequent clean-up, but I forgot (besides, he was holding the head) and by the time I remembered, I didn't want to take him out again to recreate the situation, not to mention it is VERY graphic and I wouldn't want any of you fainting and falling off your chair. And yes, the wire was still embedded. Steve just cut the wire to get the bird down...



Raptors are very stoic, but you don't have to have three letters after your name to tell he is in a lot of pain. I gave him some pain meds, but his eyes remain closed and I'm having to force feed him. He will however, take water from a syringe. I also gave him some Ivermectin sub-q, which is supposed to kill fly larvae. I didn't see any yesterday, but that doesn't mean those mean little devil eggs aren't in there just waiting to hatch.

This is the kind of damage barbed wire does to birds...


Owls run on auditory signals, so they glide close to the ground listening for their supper. I don't think I've had a case yet where a bird was releasable that had collided with barbed wire. God, how I hate this stuff! It absolutely destroys muscle, ligaments and tendons and sometimes they hang there for days, struggling to stay alive before someone finds them and by then flies have usually blown the wounds. Flies are the kiss of death in this messy business.



It will be a miracle if this bird consents to keep living, much less be able to be released. He is responding to my touching his beak and he'll open his eyes a little when I hoo at him. I just want to let him know that if he lives, I will move heaven and earth to find him a home. I won't kill him after he's gone to the trouble to live.

Please keep Little Stevie in your prayers and thank you for taking the time to read my blog....m.

PS: Thank you all for your kind words regarding Liz. This is the life that chose me…I help, I hope, I grieve the ones that don’t make it. I have myself a GOOD cry and then I put one foot in front of the other because I know that someone is just around the corner that needs another chance, like Little Stevie.