Wildlife rescuer's plea for help to save life of baby barn owl with deformed wing

A resort wildlife rescuer who took in a baby owl with a deformed wing hopes to raise enough money to cover vets bills to help her fly and avoid the need for her to be put down.
By Rebecca Beardmore
Published 29th Jun 2021, 12:30 BST
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Hugo's Small Animal Rescue and Sanctuary, a non-profit rescue based in Staining, took in Frankie the 10-week-old barn owl from a breeder in Essex last week.

The breeder had to patch up Frankie's egg shell before she hatched after it was damaged by her mother, but although she survived she was left with a wing deformity known as "angel wing."

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They contacted Hugo's to take the bird in for rehabilitation - or it would be euthanized.

Bailey Lister and Georgia Southern from Hugo's Small Animal Rescue and Sanctuary are hoping to raise enough money for Frankie the barn owl to have an operation to fix his wing. Picture: Dan Martino/JPI MediaBailey Lister and Georgia Southern from Hugo's Small Animal Rescue and Sanctuary are hoping to raise enough money for Frankie the barn owl to have an operation to fix his wing. Picture: Dan Martino/JPI Media
Bailey Lister and Georgia Southern from Hugo's Small Animal Rescue and Sanctuary are hoping to raise enough money for Frankie the barn owl to have an operation to fix his wing. Picture: Dan Martino/JPI Media

Now co-founder Bailey Lister faces the task of raising enough money to pay an avian vet to fix the wing, or he says the baby owl could eventually face being euthanized anyway due to a poor quality of life.

Bailey said: "We've got our avian vet ready and prepared to perform a procedure on Frankie, but the initial X-Ray alone will cost around £130.

"Then the procedure will cost around £700. We've raised £300 so far, but we need to raise enough before Frankie's bones harden at around five months old and it becomes much more difficult to teach her to fly.

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"If we can't, she will have to be euthanized because she's got no quality of life at the moment. You can see how frustrated she gets, she knows what to do but she can't work out how."

Frankie the baby barn owl needs an operation to fix his deformed wing in order for him to fly. Picture: Dan Martino/JPI MediaFrankie the baby barn owl needs an operation to fix his deformed wing in order for him to fly. Picture: Dan Martino/JPI Media
Frankie the baby barn owl needs an operation to fix his deformed wing in order for him to fly. Picture: Dan Martino/JPI Media

Donations can be made to Hugo's fundraising page, with funds raised up to the amount of Frankie's procedure being paid to her vet.

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Related topics:EssexFylde