Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society

OWL was founded in 1984 in response to growing needs to help with the care and rehabilitation of raptors. Originally operating out of a small home in Surrey, British Columbia, OWL relocated to its current location at 3800-72nd Street in Delta in 1985.{{cite journal |title=O.W.L.(Orphaned Wildlife) Rehabilitation Society v. Beverly Day |journal=Supreme Court of British Columbia |date=October 9, 2018 |volume=2018 BCSC 1724 |url=https://www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/sc/18/17/2018BCSC1724.htm |access-date=2 July 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Pedersen |first1=Rick |title=Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (O.W.L.) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0udDRNwaOFU |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=Goes To 11 Media |date=2019}}

OWL is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of raptors only. They mitigate and respond to wildlife emergencies including weather events such as heatwaves,{{cite news |last1=Penaloza |first1=Dani |title=Heat wave leads to record numbers for Delta's OWL Society |url=https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/bc-news/heat-wave-leads-to-record-numbers-for-deltas-owl-society-3932146 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=Vancouver Is Awesome |date=July 6, 2021}} cold snaps, and wildfires, often ending up with over seven hundred raptors in care in a year.{{cite news |last1=Booth |first1=Mark |title=More respect for wildlife would mean less work for OWL |url=https://www.delta-optimist.com/local-news/more-respect-for-wildlife-would-mean-less-work-for-owl-3462152 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=Delta Optimist |date=March 1, 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Pawson |first1=Chad |title=Delta rehabilitation centre sees dramatic rise in bird rescues |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/delta-rehabilitation-centre-early-start-to-bird-rescue-season-1.3550622 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=CBC News |date=April 23, 2016}} The birds come from all over the province of British Columbia, with the majority coming from the Lower Mainland.{{cite news |last1=Kennedy |first1=Grace |title=Delta raptor rehabilitation society opens for its annual open house |url=https://www.northdeltareporter.com/news/delta-raptor-rehabilitation-society-opens-for-its-annual-open-house-2687477 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=North Delta Reporter |date=May 4, 2017}} On occasion, birds come from neighbouring provinces and the United States of America requiring different permits. They are transported to OWL by a network of volunteers including trucking companies, airlines, community groups and others.{{cite web |title=Community Involvement, OWL Orphaned Wildlife Rehab |url=https://huffanimalhospital.com/community.html |website=Huff Animal Hospital |access-date=2 July 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Peebles |first1=Frank |title=Free as an eagle in Quesnel skies |url=https://www.wltribune.com/local-news/free-as-an-eagle-in-quesnel-skies-7347667 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=Williams Lake Tribune |date=April 20, 2024}}{{cite web |title=Love has Wings: O.W.L. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngAyBN-hDKw |website=Pacific Coastal Airlines | date=24 February 2017 |access-date=2 July 2024}}

OWL's hospital is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year to care for raptors in need. Wildlife rehabilitators and volunteers work together to provide care to the bird patients.{{cite journal |last1=Staley |first1=Roberta |title=A Wing and a Prayer, Wildlife hospitals near Vancouver are seeing a huge influx of patients due to climate change, but staff and volunteers remain determined to work miracles |journal=BBC Wildlife Magazine |date=Spring 2024 |volume=42 |issue=4 |pages= 56–63}}{{cite web |title=OWL Rehabilitation Centre not just for owls |url=https://talkingenergy.ca/stories/owl-rehabilitation-centre-not-just-owls |website=FortisBC |date=24 September 2019 |access-date=2 July 2024}} Local veterinarians assist, donating care and services when a raptor requires surgery. Since its foundation in 1985, thousands of raptors have been treated by OWL.

OWL is available 7-days a week, 365-days a year to answer calls from the public with questions regarding raptors in need. During events such as a heat dome,{{cite news |last1=Diakow |first1=Thor |title=Hot weather brings record numbers to Metro Vancouver wildlife rehab centre (VIDEO) |url=https://www.delta-optimist.com/local-news/hot-weather-brings-record-numbers-to-metro-vancouver-wildlife-rehab-centre-video-3936580 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=Delta Optimist |date=July 7, 2021}} forest fires or cold snaps, phone calls from the public increase dramatically.

OWL provides education resources through their onsite and offsite education programs, their virtual education program,{{cite web |last1=Munteanu |first1=Nina |title=Learning About Raptors with OWL |url=https://themeaningofwater.com/2023/08/27/learning-about-raptors-with-owl/ |website=The Meaning of Water |date=27 August 2023 |access-date=2 July 2024}} their public tours and their social media. OWL provides work experience to high school and veterinary students, and volunteers from various Canadian provinces and other countries.

Every year, OWL hosts an Open House, a two-day event that includes the release of a raptor on each day,{{cite news |last1=Jonca |first1=Lukasz |title=OWL gets by with a little help from its friends |url=https://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/owl-gets-by-with-a-little-help-from-its-friends-3027050 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=Delta Optimist |date=July 7, 2014}}{{cite news |last1=Holmes |first1=Tracy |title=Get up close with birds of prey at OWL open house in Delta |url=https://www.surreynowleader.com/community/get-up-close-with-birds-of-prey-at-owl-open-house-in-delta-7346755 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=Surrey Now-Leader |date=April 18, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Kinnear |first1=Jim |title=Gallery: PHOTOS: OWL Open House |url=https://www.delta-optimist.com/in-the-community/photos-owl-open-house-8705491 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=Delta Optimist |date=May 8, 2024}} and a one-day winter fundraiser,{{cite news |last1=Holmes |first1=Tracy |title=Winter fundraiser returns to raptor-rehabilitation centre |url=https://www.northdeltareporter.com/community/winter-fundraiser-returns-to-raptor-rehabilitation-centre-7110404 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=North Delta Reporter |date=November 20, 2023}} usually in December.

• OWL volunteers used a volleyball net, a front-end loader, a fire truck and six hundred feet of marine rope to rescue a juvenile bald eagle stuck in a water treatment settling pond in Richmond in 2019.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=James |title=Video: Delta raptor rehab group rescues bald eagle from sewage treatment pond |url=https://www.northdeltareporter.com/news/video-delta-raptor-rehab-group-rescues-bald-eagle-from-sewage-treatment-pond-2719066 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=North Delta Reporter |date=November 28, 2019}}
• In 2020, a northern saw-whet owl surrounded by a thick pile of feathers indicative of a cat attack was picked up by a volunteer for PROWLS north of Powell River. It was flown to OWL in Delta to be treated. After seven weeks of rehabilitation, it was flown back to Powell River by Pacific Coastal Airlines and released back into the wild.{{cite web |title=PROWLS and Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society treat northern saw-whet owl |url=https://prowls.org/rescue-of-the-week/prowls-and-orphaned-wildlife-rehabilitation-society-treat-northern-saw-whet-owl/ |website=PROWLS |access-date=2 July 2024}}
• In 2021, a barn owl being attacked by crows flew into the gap between pallet stacks at Art Knapp in South Surrey. OWL volunteer June Young attended and with the help of an Art Knapp worker using a forklift to move the first layer of pallets, June tried to ease the barn owl backwards. The owl grabbed hold of June's bare arm with its free leg and buried its claws in June's arm. The owl was rescued and taken to OWL and June had to go to the emergency.{{cite news |last1=Holmes |first1=Tracy |title=PHOTOS: Barn-owl rescue in South Surrey ends with hospital visit for OWL volunteer |url=https://www.northdeltareporter.com/news/photos-barn-owl-rescue-in-south-surrey-ends-with-hospital-visit-for-owl-volunteer-2738186 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=North Delta Reporter |date=July 8, 2021}}
• Matt Pistell was driving 25 km north of 100 Mile House in the Interior in British Columbia one dark night in December 2022 when a large owl flew into his windshield. Through the truckers who often assist OWL, the owl was transported to OWL in Delta. She had a concussion, damage to her right eye, and injuries to her left leg. In March 2023, after several months of rehabilitation, she was transported back to the Interior where she was released.{{cite news |last1=Dickson |first1=Courtney |title=After getting hit by a truck, this great horned owl has been rehabilitated and released back into the wild |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/after-getting-hit-by-a-truck-this-great-horned-owl-has-been-rehabilitated-and-released-back-into-the-wild-1.6789403 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=CBC News |date=March 26, 2023}}
• OWL treated a trio of golden eagles for lead poisoning in 2024. All three were found near Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast. They were lethargic and not flying away. OWL believed the primary suspect of the lead poisoning was from ammunition used in hunting.{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Paul |title=Eagles and death metal: Trio of raptors found on Sunshine Coast with lead poisoning |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10403167/ealges-poison-lead-sunshine-coast/#:~:text=A%20B.C.%20bird%20rehabilitation%20organization,OWL)%20in%20Delta%20for%20treatment |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=Global News |date=April 4, 2024}}
• On January 9, 2024, residents of Quesnel noticed an eagle who had been shot. The eagle suffered from lead poisoning and was shipped to OWL for rehabilitation via Bandstra Transportation Systems. On April 11, 2024, the rehabilitated eagle was released at the West Fraser Timber Park in Quesnel where it was reunited with its riverside friend.
• In January 2024, Fort St. James residents Brad Hoy and his wife rescued an injured eagle, braving snowbanks to reach it. The Hoys secured the injured eagle in a dog crate and transported it to OWL. The eagle suffered from lead poisoning and a broken wing. After five months of rehabilitation, the eagle was successfully released back in the Fort St. James community.{{cite news |last1=Paul |first1=Binny |title=Fort St. James community celebrates as rehabilitated bald eagle soars back to freedom |url=https://www.ominecaexpress.com/local-news/fort-st-james-community-celebrates-as-rehabilitated-bald-eagle-soars-back-to-freedom-7353576 |access-date=2 July 2024 |publisher=Vanderhoof Omineca Express |date=May 3, 2024}}

OWL is a not-for-profit charitable society that relies on donations from the public and the support of companies and corporations who provide donations, sponsorships, material, and supplies.

• Official website - [https://www.owlrehab.org/ OWL Orphaned Wildlife]

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Category:Wildlife rehabilitation