Richard Hyatt: Becoming a wildlife volunteer can be rewarding

Fran Carpenter's story doesn't have a happy ending but Tuesday night you can help the next one end with happily ever after.

Several days ago, Fran discovered a helpless baby owl in her driveway. The owl had apparently fallen out of its nest. It needed its mother but she was nowhere to be found.

Checking nearby trees, Fran finally located the owl nest. It was near the top of a very tall tree.

She called the Georgia Wildlife Rescue Association looking for help. Director Chet Powell wanted to assist her but he said there was nothing he could do because at this time his group does not have any volunteers in Muscogee County.

Powell did dispel a popular myth. A mother owl will not evict a baby bird just because a human has handled it. Owls do not have a sense of smell, he said.

After that Fran called several local tree services. Some were busy but one said he and his tree climber would be right out. With the owl in hand, the climber shimmied up the tree and put the little white bird back in its nest.

Sadly, in a few days a friend called Fran and said the owl was back in her driveway. Only this time it did not survive. It died after being ravaged by an unknown animal.

She still has pictures of the tiny baby owl on her cellphone and Fran wants to help Powell and the GWRA sign up some volunteers here in Columbus.

"We do need help," Powell said. "This is baby season so we are getting around 200 calls a day."

On Tuesday night at 7 p.m., the rescue association will conduct an online course that prepares people to be a wildlife volunteer. The cost is $50, with a portion covering a person's membership fee in the GWRA. To register for the test go to

www.georgiawildliferescue.org/you-can-help.html

Though the job can be rewarding Powell warns potential volunteers that rescued animals are not going to become someone's pets.

"Some people think this will be a Disney movie that they'll get to cuddle up with some cute animals," Powell said. "They will, but we're not going to give these animals a name or find them a home. We want them to be able to return to the wild."

And live happily ever after.

-- Richard Hyatt is an independent correspondent. Reach him at hyatt31906@knology.net.

This story was originally published May 23, 2015 at 7:52 PM with the headline "Richard Hyatt: Becoming a wildlife volunteer can be rewarding."