World Politics

Tawny owl rescued from wood burner

An owl has been rescued from a wood burner chimney by RSPCA Cymru.

The tawny owl was trapped in the burner at Pontrobert on Thursday 9.

The bird has since been released back into the wild.

RSPCA Deputy Chief Inspector Phil Lewis went to the property after receiving a call about the trapped animal.

When he arrived, Mr. Lewis said he could see the owl but could not reach it so had to return with a builder who could dismantle the burner.

Despite his ordeal he was was not injured and I was able to release him back to the wild. To think that the owl fell all the way down the chimney and into the wood burner without any injuries is remarkable. Unfortunately rescues like this do occasionally happen and in my time as an RSPCA inspector I have probably rescued on average at least one owl a year – which is 20-30 owls from fireplaces/wood burners.

– PHIL LEWIS, RSPCA DEPUTY CHIEF INSPECTOR

Sometimes birds and bats can fit through small openings at the top of chimneys so the RSPCA advises fitting a wire mesh guard or cowl to the top of the chimney to prevent birds from becoming trapped.

For your own safety, the RSPCA does not recommend handling birds of prey. Instead you should call the RSPCA’s 24 hour emergency line on 0300 1234 999 if you find a wild animal that needs help.

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