O.W.L. Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society

Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release

The Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society is a non-profit organization whose volunteers are dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured and orphaned birds of prey.

O.W.L is on call seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. Public tours are held every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am to 2:30pm.

Rescue

At O.W.L, our daily endeavors are to be able to rescue Birds of Prey that are in distress. Here you are seeing the rescue of two Bald Eagles who ended up on the ground after a fall due to interspecies fighting.

When eagles lock talons, it takes many hands to try to get them apart. Often, they do release and fly away upon approach, but sometimes, they are just too exhausted and hurt to be able to go back out on their own.

Rescue

When we take these birds back to O.W.L for medical attention, it is our main priority to get them stable with any medications they might need, and to make them as comfortable as possible. In time, our goal is to get these Birds of Prey back out into the wild as soon as we possibly can.

Being able to work through a rescue and the rehabilitation of the Birds of Prey that come in and then to watch that bird being released back into the wild is the most rewarding feeling for all of us here at O.W.L.

Rehabilitation

Primary care for injured birds such as injections, tube feeding and initial treatment of broken bones to stabilize is administered by staff and volunteers trained through seminars given by veterinarians from the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. Here you see Rob Hope and volunteers working diligently on an injured Bald Eagle.

Rehabilitation

Veterinary care involving the pinning of fractures, removal of bullets, etc., is thankfully donated by Huff Animal Hospital, Richmond Animal Hospital and Tsawwassen Animal Hospital. O.W.L. pays only for medications.

Martina and Mindy are working on a Barred Owl that was tangled in fishing line and tackle.

Release

Here is the very best part of our work. To release these Birds of Prey back into the wild is the most rewarding experience.

Martina Versteeg is ready to release a Bald Eagle back into the wild.

Release

We always try to take the birds back to where they were rescued. There is a good chance that they have family or mates in the area.

Todd Bowling reaching his arms high to give this Bald Eagle some great air for flight.

Education

At O.W.L we pride ourselves on conservation through education. Please check out our link to read about all of the different classroom visits we do and our onsite programs. We look forward to visiting you and you visiting us.

Tours

Yes, we are open for tours. During the fall, Winter, and Spring months we are open for tours Every Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm. During the summer months, while school is out, we are open 7 days a week for tours. No appointment is necessary. Please note, we are not open for tours on holidays.

If you can't make it to our facility, please take a 'virtual online tour' by clicking the link below.

Volunteer

O.W.L is always looking for volunteers. There are many jobs at O.W.L for volunteers such as; feeding the birds in care, cleaning, gardening, rescues and picking up birds from locations across the lower mainland.

Norm, a helicopter pilot, flies all around B.C to help Birds of Prey in need of rescue and to take them back to their original rescue site to release them back into the wild.

O.W.L needs a new home

Snoopy and the gang need your help! O.W.L is looking for a new home — we have outgrown our facility and are in desperate need of new property. We have had flooding in the past years which is a health concern for the birds, our staff, volunteers and visitors. Our intake of patients has almost doubled in the past few years and we require a larger acreage to continue the work that we do. Please help us find Snoopy a new home.