Animal Control Report: Rescuing an Injured Owl

Animal Control officers in Alexandria deal with a variety of calls every week. Here's a glance at some recent incidents in the city courtesy of Patrick Cole, the director of communications and outreach at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

Injured owl rescued — An Alexandria Animal Control officer rescued an injured Barred Owl that was attacked by a murder of crows in the 2800 block of King Street.

On April 11, an officer responded to a report of an injured owl that was unable to fly away from a flock of crows. Upon arriving on the scene, the officer was directed to the location of the owl by the man who placed the report. He had remained close to the owl to fend off the crows.

The officer discovered the owl hopping on the ground with an injured wing. The owl was successfully captured and transferred to a raptor rehabilitation center.

Dogs in playgrounds — Alexandria Animal Control reminds residents that dogs on or off leash are not permitted in playgrounds at any time.

On April 15, an officer was called out to the 1500 block of Woodbine Street after a report of a dog being walked off-leash near a playground. The officer met with the dog’s owners, who said their child had walked the dog earlier in the day. They said they would be sure to keep the dog on-leash.

After telling the family that dogs are not permitted in playgrounds, the officer informed them their dog license had expired and provided information on how to renew.

For more information on pet licenses, visit the AWLA website.