The owl's internet fame is helping to raise thousands of dollars for a woman who just had surgery to treat lung cancer
Credit: Newhouse Wildlife Rescue/Facebook
NEED TO KNOW
- An owl that was rescued by two organizations in Massachusetts is now helping to raise money for a good cause
- The bird sustained two broken wings and is currently being rehabilitated; one of the organizations that treated her is currently raising funds for the founder of the other, who had to have surgery for lunch cancer
- Newhouse Wildlife Rescue has already raised more than $19,000 to help Cape Ann Wildlife; a separate GoFundMe is directly helping the founder Jodi
A tiny owl with a damaged wing who survived after being found on the side of the road is now helping one of the women directly involved in her recovery.
Newhouse Wildlife Rescue in Chelmsford, Mass. and Cape Ann Wildlife in Ipswich, Mass. have been collaborating in the care of a saw-whet owl, which is the smallest owl species in New England, after it as found in someone's driveway.
On Friday, Feb. 27, Newhouse shared a photo of the tiny bird next to a banana on Facebook. They noted that she was "unable to fly" and was going to be undergoing "X-rays and a full exam" to help figure out what she needed to recover.
Then, a few days later, on Monday, March 2, the organization provided more context about the banana photo on Instagram, explaining that it was used "for scale," noting that despite "being one of the smallest raptors in North America, it still has a big personality."
Credit: Newhouse Wildlife Rescue/Facebook
That same day, the organization provided another update via Facebook, revealing that the owl had her wing bandaged because the X-rays revealed two broken bones. As a result, she was headed to Cape Ann Wildlife to continue her recovery.
Praising the wildlife center, Newhouse noted that they have had a long history together, writing, "The women there have always been so helpful and have saved animals that I honestly wasn’t sure could be saved. Their time and dedication is incredible."
Additionally, Newhouse added that the founder, Jodi, had been diagnosed with lung cancer and was "struggling after a [recent] surgery to try to save her life."
"She still helped wrap this little owl’s wing, even with all she is going through. She is a very kind soul. Still now, she Is giving and healing, as she has for many years," the organization wrote, adding, "They don’t have much time for fundraising these days so I wanted to do one here. Their funds are running low. Please help support their efforts so we can take a little off their shoulders. They do so much good."
A fundraiser on Facebook started by Newhouse has already raised more than $19,000 at the time of publication. The founder also shared a link to a GoFundMe that is directly supporting Jodi and is run by her daughter. It's also raised more than $19,000 with a goal of $22,000.
"Jodi is a wonderful, selfless woman whose life's calling is wildlife rehabilitation — she has rescued an incalculable amount of animals over the years, always putting their needs before her own. Now she needs our help more than ever. The road to recovery after such a major surgery is never easy, and it comes with many unexpected challenges and expenses," her daughter wrote in the description.
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Credit: Newhouse Wildlife Rescue/Facebook
In an update on Instagram posted on Sunday, March 1, Cape Ann Wildlife shared a photo of Jodi posing with one of the owls she had rescued.
"We’d like to extend a very sincere thanks to everyone for their genuine concerns and contributions these past few weeks ❤️ Jodi has been in post-op recovery and making strides where she can! We are always so humbled by the community support and cannot wait to see her made a full recovery," they wrote.
PEOPLE reached out to Newhouse Wildlife Rescue for comment.
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