From “Stinky” to “Lucky”: Owl’s Remarkable Recovery Shocks Rescuers

Quick Smiles:

• An owl named Lucky, initially dubbed “Stinky”, was rescued from a manure pit where he’d been trapped for two days.
• Despite an unexpected discovery of a BB gun pellet behind his inflamed eye, Lucky’s vision remained intact, stunning rescuers.
• After receiving exceptional care at Raven Ridge Wildlife Center, Lucky’s transformation has been nothing short of miraculous.

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It seems that the universe has an uncanny knack for dropping the most pressing wildlife emergencies onto Tracie Young and her team at Raven Ridge Wildlife Center right before dinner.

But as Young was prepping for a relaxing evening last month, fate had other plans.

A call from a local game warden changed the course of her evening dramatically.

The game warden recounted how he’d discovered an owl stuck in a manure pit at a nearby farm for two long, harrowing days.

Without hesitation, Young asked the warden to rush the bird to the center.

“I knew it was gonna be a long night,” Young expressed to The Dodo.

Upon the owl’s arrival, an overwhelming stench greeted Young, leading her to affectionately dub the bird, “Stinky.”

She could see that Stinky was not just filthy but also severely parched after being trapped under the scorching sun.

His distressed appearance was further exacerbated by a red, cloudy eye.

Wasting no time, Young administered fluids, anti-inflammatory agents, and pain relief to the owl.

The next step: a well-deserved bath.

Stinky’s reaction was that of an utterly drained creature. “He was so subdued,” noted Young.

“He was tired from struggling.”

However, a few days of tender care saw Stinky’s demeanor and appearance evolve significantly.

As his feathers regained their lustre and his eye’s inflammation decreased, Young made a disheartening discovery.

Hidden behind the inflamed eye was a BB gun pellet.

It was highly probable that this injury had led to his unfortunate tumble into the manure pit.

Yet, life had another surprise in store.

Even with that pellet injury, the brave bird hadn’t lost his vision.

Overwhelmed, Young stated, “I was just flabbergasted.”

This revelation paved the way for Stinky’s renaming.

From that day, he was christened “Lucky.”

Lucky continues to reside at Raven Ridge Wildlife Center, receiving ongoing care.

The next chapter in his recovery journey will see him in an outdoor flight pen, where he’ll get the chance to relearn flying.

His future, whether in the wild or at the center, is looking bright.

Looking at Lucky’s progress, Young can’t help but marvel at his transformation.

“To look at this owl now, today,” she mused, “You would never know it was the same owl.”

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