This post has been republished from SFGlenCanyon.net to let more readers know about the sad death of a local barn owl. We urge readers who care about wildlife to consider contributing to Wildcare. (SF Forest Alliance is contributing $100.) Read on for details.

A year ago, one of Glen Canyon’s Great Horned Owls was found dead – poisoned by eating rats that had eaten rat poison.

Now another dead owl has been found. It’s a barn owl this time. Neighbors want to find out if the cause of death was rodenticide poisons again. They have taken the owl to WildCare – a not-for-profit wildlife rescue organization – for coordination of a necropsy (i.e, an animal autopsy) and toxicology report. Wildcare does not have funding to test animals brought in dead by the public and the fees must be paid for by the interested parties. The cost is anticipated to be around $300. Your assistance to help defray the cost would be appreciated.

[San Francisco Forest Alliance has made a $100 contribution to Wildcare.]

If you’re willing to contribute, please reference “Barn Owl Patient #1754.”

• Via phone, please contact WildCare’s Stewardship Manager, Jan Armstrong, 415-453-1000, ext. 13,
• Online, wildcarebayarea.org, where there’s a link to donate by credit card
• Send a check directly to WildCare, 76 Albert Park Lane, San Rafael, CA 94901.

There’s an important effort going on to limit the use of the most dangerous rat poisons. You may read about WildCare’s Rodenticide Diagnostics & Advocacy Program on their website. If you have additional questions about rodenticides, you may contact Wildlife Solutions Manager, Kelle Kacmarcik who is coordinating this effort at 415-456-7283, ext. 23.