When a Pennsylvania farmer spotted a pair of golden eyes peeking out from his manure pit, he thought the bird might be able to free herself. But after a full day passed and she was still stuck, he realized she needed help.
The farmer carefully lifted the exhausted great horned owl from the muck and set her down in a grassy patch nearby. Then he contacted the Pennsylvania Game Commission, who arranged for transport to Raven Ridge Wildlife Center.
The volunteer who drove her will never forget the trip.
“She said it was the stinkiest two-hour drive ever,” said Tracie Young, a rehabilitator at Raven Ridge. “When I opened the crate, I was like, ‘Oh my God.’”
That night, the owl was given a quiet place to rest. The next morning, Young suited up in protective gear and began the messy process of washing away every bit of manure clinging to her feathers.
“It was everywhere — on the walls, the floor, and all over me,” Young recalled. “Great horned owls aren’t exactly fans of baths.”
Once clean and given a hearty meal, the transformation was immediate.
“Her attitude just doubled,” Young said. “She went from miserable to feisty and alert.”
The owl was later moved to a spacious flight pen, where she’s regaining strength alongside other rescued owls. When she’s fully recovered, she’ll be released back into the wild — this time with a second chance at freedom.
For Young, the hard work was more than worth it.
“Getting an animal like that, it’s a lot of effort,” she said. “But it’s so rewarding to give them another chance at life.”
To support rescues like this owl’s, you can make a donation to Raven Ridge Wildlife Center.
