Helping Wildlife
Rob Tonus, CFRE, IGSD
Expert in Growing Donor Support and Scaling Impact for Small Nonprofits | Repeatedly exceeded revenue targets by engaging with donors in meaningful ways | Training Staff and Volunteers for Success | Fractional Fundraiser
Bernie the Barred Owl
On February 19, 2014 while driving home one evening after work, I passed what I thought was a lump of snow in the middle of the road.
But something seemed odd about that lump of snow, so I turned around, and in my headlights was not snow, but an owl!
Twenty years before, I helped form a group that collects birds that crash into the office towers of downtown Toronto. Since I had experience with injured birds, I was not afraid of this one, so I picked it up, put it in the back seat of my car, and drove home.
This is what I saw in the headlights:
I put the bird in a box so it could rest overnight and recover.
The next morning, when I looked in on the bird, it was awake!
I didn’t want to release it in case it was injured, so I called the Toronto Wildlife Centre, and asked what to do. They referred me to a vet in Bowmanville that treats wild animals.
They found some cuts on the bird’s breast and some other scrapes, so they thought it would be best to have the bird receive further treatment at the Owl Foundation near St. Catharines. So, the following Saturday, I picked up the bird from them and delivered it to TWC where I was met by a volunteer from the Owl Foundation, who brought it to them.
I named the owl Bernie, which is short for either Bernard, or Bernadette – it’s impossible to tell if an owl is male or female just by looking at it, so I figured that Bernie is a good nickname for a barred owl.
I picked up the owl on Saturday, May 31 and release it on the Trent University property near the place where I found it. You can see the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUlngJUExtc
This is how I hope Bernie spends the rest of his or her days in Trent’s nature areas
I speak for the rain | CEO, RainGrid Inc. | WEForum UpLink Top Innovator | GFHS Global Model of Green Technology | Circular Rain Prop/Fin Tech | Resilience & Adaptation | #RainGridCities
3 年Rob Tonus that's a heart warming post. I have encountered so many injured birds and the most I ever got from phoning Toronto's Animal Services was the response they dealt with nuisance animals, and not animal assistance. It's long overdue to defund Animal Services or completely clean house on the policy direction emphasizing animals as a threat as opposed to a benefit to the City.
Co-Owner and Partnership Development, Native Plants in Claremont
3 年Great story, Rob, and very motivating for all of us to take charge if in a similar situation
Active consultant/trainer in fundraising, Professor Emeritus Humber College grad school
3 年Thanks for rescuing Bernie and so many other birds. Wildlife can't always cope with the people (and buildings and cars) encroaching on their territory.
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