A screech owl found in League City, Texas, is getting a second chance at life at the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal’s (SPCA) Wildlife Center of Texas after getting stuck in an outdoor glue trap, Chron reported.
“In this screech owl’s case, there was damage to his wing feathers from constantly beating his wings on the ground trying to escape, but he was one of the lucky ones and did not have any significant injuries,” the wildlife center posted on Facebook. “Now, he is recovering but will likely need to molt and regrow many of the damaged feathers before he will be able to fly again, which can take several months.”
While the screech owl is expected to recover once his feathers grow back, many other creatures aren’t as lucky. According to the Wildlife Medical Clinic at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, glue traps can be deadly for wildlife who try desperately to escape the sticky trap. The panic and fear they feel only make things worse — as they struggle and flail around, they become even further entangled in the gummy substance.
Only two U.S. cities have glue trap bans, but the plight of the screech owl has many hoping for more stringent laws. One introduced by U.S. House Representative Ted Lieu is the Glue Trap Prohibition Act of 2024, which would ban the use and sale of glue traps nationwide.
If you encounter an animal in a glue trap, Houston SPCA’s Wildlife Center recommends that you do not attempt to remove the animal from the trap yourself. The adhesive is extremely strong and can cause further harm to the animal if not removed properly. Instead, bring the animal and the trap to your local wildlife center. If the animal is a skunk, bat, fox, or coyote that could be infected with rabies, call your local wildlife center first.
Lady Freethinker applauds the Houston SPCA’s Wildlife Center of Texas for caring for the screech owl that fell victim to this dangerous trap. The center’s dedication to wildlife rehabilitation ensures that this resilient bird will be able to return to the skies once again.
