Rescued North Andover Owl Released After Rodenticide Treatment, Leg Injury

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — An owl found in distress in North Andover last week was released back into the wild after a week of treatments for suspected rodenticide poisoning and an injured leg.

North Andover Animal Control said the owl was found on the ground on High Street.

Quick actions from the responding officers and the treatments at Newhouse Wildlife Rescue were credited for helping nurse the owl back to life.

"After six days under their amazing care, she has been treated and medically cleared to return back to North Andover to be released back into the wild," Animal Control said.

Rodenticide poison has been banned in several cities and towns on the North Shore and Merrimack Valley for being inhumane to the rodents, as well as causing harm or death to predators — including hawks, owls, eagles, coyotes and foxes — that act as natural population control for the rodents.

Newhouse on social media posted an update on the hawk, saying that she could barely stand when she was first brought to the center but had since recovered enough to be released late last week.