Leland PD officer helps injured owl found in roadway

LELAND, N.C. (WECT) - An officer with the Leland Police Department helped save a wounded owl while on patrol, according to Sea Biscuit Wildlife Shelter.

“Way to go, Officer Winston! Staff at the Sea Biscuit Wildlife Shelter reached out to let us know that without his help, the owl would have not been rescued that night. Great job!” a Tuesday announcement from the Leland PD states.

According to a representative with the shelter, Officer Winston found the owl and called the shelter just after midnight, hesitant to pick the owl up.

“But he was cautious enough to get it off the roadway while he was on patrol. What a great and caring man to even stop and check out a wounded animal,” Mary Ellen, with Sea Biscuit Animal Shelter said.

According to Ellen, the shelter’s rescue and transport volunteer in Leland, Madge Matteo, met Officer Winston and the two were able to capture “the angry, hurting Barred Owl.”

“The bad news is that it had 2 wing fractures and had to be euthanized a few days later,” Ellen said. “Big beautiful raptors are losing their habitat daily, especially in Leland and the Southport and Oak Island areas Humans are discovering what a wonderful place it is to live and are cutting down an excessive number of vital trees so they can ‘nest there’ too.”

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