From The Owl Orphanage Velddrif
Just before midnight last night, I received a call from the Saldanha police station.
They arrested this beautiful lad. He was found grounded next to a road. They were willing to release him into our care with the condition that he doesn’t end up scratching any cars again.
My next call was to wake Adrienne up. Adrienne agreed to get out of bed and meet up with the police (I wonder what her neighbours thought). She then let me know what the owl’s condition was, so to decide on the best way to stabilize. Adrienne is one of our first responders. Thank you for looking after him and getting him to the centre early today.
Luckily this lad only has a concussion and swelling around one eye, with no broken bones. We will fix him up in no time. Thank you Warrant Officer Claassens for caring and showing true compassion towards the wellbeing of this little chap. You Rock.
The original post didn’t have many details, but I found this account which offered a little more details.
From Goodthingsguy
Arrested Ow’ on the Prowl Gets the Kindest Sentence
It’s not every day that an owl on the prowl ends up in the slammer. But the Saldanha police department recently dealt with exactly such a case and a perpetrator far more feathered than any typical suspect.
Though the details were not explicitly shared, it’s understood that the owl had been part of a car-related conundrum: scratching cars. The owl suspect chose not to speak on the matter nor cooperated with authorities.
Warrant Officer Claassens did what any officer would do—he took the suspect in after the owl was discovered grounded next to the road. Leading with kindness, WO Classens made a call that would determine the owl’s sentencing: an undisclosed amount of time in the loving care of The Owl Orphanage.Velddrif. Here, the owl would be booked for serious sessions of compassion and rehabilitation, as well as time in a safe haven farm outside Velddrif with loving bird heroes.
First responder Adrienne went off in the early hours of the morning to collect the owl on the prowl and meet the police. There, Adrienne discovered that the bird was not in a good state. Adrienne rushed the owl to the orphanage’s centre early on Wednesday, where the feathered friend would get all the necessary care!
The police could’ve easily left the owl or chased him away. Instead, they saw he was struggling (the bird had a concussion and a swollen eye) and decided that all he needed was a chance to leave his crimes behind him and soar into a new life. Warrant Officer Classens has since been commended as a hero in the eyes of the orphanage and its supporters for going the extra mile to such great effect.