Kearney Firefighters Rescue Injured Owl

Rescuing people and animals is part of the job for the men and women of the Kearney Fire and Rescue Protection District, but wildlife rescue is not an everyday occurrence for them.

On Tuesday morning, July 6, rescue crews were called out to 92 Highway and Clear Creek Drive about an injured owl.

Firefighter Steve Giacone was part of the crew on duty that day, and when he arrived on the scene he saw the owl in the grass.

“The owl was lying on the ground, face down, and we thought it was dead,” said Giacone. Giacone carefully touched it and it moved and started to hop away, but not attempting to fly. After a few more attempts to catch the injured bird, he was able to hold on to it.

“I was very surprised when I picked it up,” laughed Giacone. “You hear in school that an owl can turn its head quite a bit, but it was a little scary when his back was to me and I picked him up and his head turned all the way around and faced me.”

Rescuers brought the owl back to fire station and made arrangements with the Excelsior Springs Animal Clinic to care for the bird. The vet at the animal clinic said that it looked like the owl was starving.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story