The change in weather and the tumble of autumn leaves typically means the start of injured owl season at the BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (ARC), with a higher number of these night-time hunters arriving in need of care.

As the days get shorter, folks tend to head to work and return home in the dark. Nocturnal animals like owls are also active at these times, hunting near roadsides for the small rodents like mice and shrews that make up the majority of their diet. As a result, they are at higher risk from vehicle collisions at this time of the season, and Wild ARC sees a dramatic rise in the number of owls admitted with car collision injuries.

Some owls, however, arrive with a different tale to tell. This week brought a beautiful Barred owl to Wild ARC that had been caught in a barbed-wire fence, likely becoming entangled as he swooped to catch his dinner. A brave member of the public freed the owl from the wire, but a piece remained embedded in his wing. The owl required surgery at Wild ARC to remove the metal and repair the injury site. He’s now on the mend at the rehabilitation centre, but will still require weeks of care as his wing continues to heal.

An excellent opportunity to support the care of this owl and other wild patients on the road to recovery is just around the corner! Wild ARC’s annual Fall for Wildlife Dinner Auction on November 12 offers an enticing evening of delicious food and a live and silent auction.

“We are eagerly anticipating this amazing evening,” says organizer Sharon Burkmar. “The combination of a great meal and wonderful supporters, paired with a wide variety of items to bid on, makes this an evening not to be missed.”

The event features a keynote presentation by award-winning photographer and author Ian McAllister of Pacific Wild and the witty repartee of the Times Colonist’s Jack Knox as master of ceremonies, promising to make it a night to remember.

The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a not-for-profit organization reliant on public donations. Our mission is to protect and enhance the quality of life for domestic, farm and wild animals in B.C.