From A Place Called Hope

Chimney Caps. They’re a MUST. Cavities in nature, offer places to hide, nest, or seek food. Our open chimney stacks are an invitation for disaster. Many critters can enter but when it’s time to get out, the animals often find themselves stuck. This time of year, when fires are burning, our wildlife can become victims to smoke inhalation and if that’s not bad enough, they can also succumb to serious burns. Please install chimney caps to prevent this common conflict we impose on our wildlife.

This Barred Owl was stuck in the stack above the flue for days. Dehydration and starvation are a common result to any creature that is trapped. Luckily homeowners did not add to the dilemma by starting a fire! Instead, they called their local Animal Control Department in Middletown and were directed to APCH. Our team is familiar with these distress calls and Todd responded promptly. This was an older fireplace and the flue was really tight. Not to mention the fact that the owl was able to get up the chimney above arms reach as the stack curved.

The good news is Todd was prepared and ultimately succeeded in getting the owl extracted safely. The owl has been hydrated and will be ready to eat a meal on Thanksgiving. A free meal! We can’t offer food immediately to an animal that is dehydrated or starving, we must first push fluids to get the body functioning properly for digestion. But we anticipate a full recovery.

The owl is dirty and dehydrated and possibly a bit pissed off! But it could have been so much worse!