SLCPD officer helps injured young hawk
Dec 29, 2023, 7:33 PM | Updated: Dec 30, 2023, 1:36 pm
A Salt Lake City Police officer helped rescue an injured bird, later determined to be some type of hawk. (SLCPD)
(SLCPD)
SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake City officer on patrol was able to get an injured hawk the help it needed on Thursday afternoon.
According to the Salt Lake City Police Department, one of its officers noticed a man fumbling with a hat in the middle of the street near 425 S. 500 West.
Police say the situation looked unusual, so the officer kept an eye on the man from his patrol car.
“As the officer watched, the man accidentally dropped the hat. The hat appeared to hit the ground with more force than a person would expect from a winter hat dropping,” the SLCPD press release stated.
The officer approached the man, and the man, who spoke limited English, said, “Eagle,” and pointed into the hat, according to police. Police say the officer looked inside the hat and saw a small bird emerge from it.
A community member holds an injured hawk downtown. (SLCPD)
The man told the officer that the bird got hit by a car, and it struggled to move, so he picked it up to help get the bird off the street.
According to police, the officer called Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources, who referred the officer to take the bird to a private animal care facility in the Salt Lake Valley.
“With the little feathered friend safely nestled in the knit hat, the officer took the bird for a medical evaluation,” the SLCPD press release stated. “The facility confirmed the bird was a young hawk and admitted it.”
Police ask anyone who finds injured wildlife to contact the appropriate wildlife rehabilitator so the correct agency can take care of the animal. If an animal is a potential hazard for whatever reason, like an injured deer blocking traffic, you should call 911.
