Adair Witmer and her family were getting ready to leave their cottage in Falls, Pennsylvania, when something unexpected stopped them in their tracks.
Ashley, Witmer’s daughter, noticed a strange lump sitting in the middle of the road. Alarmed that it might be a person in need, she quickly called out to the rest of her family, urging them to take a closer look.
They turned their eyes toward the spot Ashley had pointed out, and the sight that greeted them left them stunned.
A Startling Discovery On The Road
The mysterious figure was a great horned owl.
The bird seemed just as startled to see the family as they were to see it, yet it didn’t move. It stayed planted in the road, appearing frightened and uncertain.
“We couldn’t believe it,” Witmer told The Dodo.
Because it was broad daylight, the family suspected something was wrong.
Driven by compassion, they decided to step in. Christine, another of Witmer’s daughters, reached out to the local game commission for help.
Neighbors soon joined the Witmers in their effort to protect the owl. Together, they carefully wrapped the bird in a blanket and placed it inside a carrier.
The owl may not have understood what was happening, but at last it was safe.
When the game commission officer arrived, he examined the bird and moved it into a secure container.
He believed the owl was still young and too weak to fly. To give it a chance to recover, he transported it to the commission’s animal shelter.
Recovery Awaits For The Young Owl
Once the owl regains its strength, it will be released back into the wild where it belongs.
The Witmer family felt immense relief knowing the bird was no longer in danger.
“We were relieved, to be sure!” Witmer added.
The great horned owl had been fortunate enough to cross paths with people willing to help.
No longer stranded or alone, the bird now receives the care it desperately needed.
From a frightened creature sitting helplessly in the road to a calm owl with a future ahead, its story is a reminder of how compassion can change everything.