RSPCA rescue Tawny Owl stuck in kitchen pipe in home near Peterborough

The animal welfare charity was called to a property in Mayfair Drive, Spalding on Friday (December 4) after a member of the public heard scuffling behind their kitchen wall and then spotted an owl through a hole above their kitchen cabinets.

RSPCA Inspector Kathleen Burris rushed to the property and was joined by firefighters from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue who successfully rescued the owl and were able to release it back into the wild following a check-up.

Kathleen said: “This poor owl had fallen down an old chimney in the kitchen and was trapped in a pipe. We could see the poor fella through a hole in the kitchen but it was too tight for the owl to squeeze through.

“We carefully tried to open the space in the kitchen but he dropped to the bottom of the pipe. We then had to remove a few bricks on the outside wall which gave us enough space to break the pipe and get him out. Thankfully, the homeowner was more concerned with the owl than the mess!

“I took the owl to a wildlife vet for a check over and then I returned to the property in Spalding a few days later to release the owl back to the wild. It’s such a fantastic sight to see a wild animal that you have rescued is now happy and healthy and released back into the wild.”

The RSPCA are also launching their Christmas appeal this week. This winter, the RSPCA expects to rescue thousands of animals from neglect, cruelty and suffering. To learn more about how their rescue teams reach thousands of animals in desperate need, visit www.rspca.org.uk/xmas and Join the Christmas Rescue #JoinTheRescue.

Also this week, the RSPCA is the eBay charity at checkout, which means you can donate to the RSPCA to help them continue to rescue animals in need every time you buy from eBay.