Watch: Waltham Animal Control Rescues A Great Horned Owl

WALTHAM, MA — Many people are familiar with dolphins getting caught in nets in the ocean, but it can happen to birds and deer on land and right here at Falzone Field, that's exactly what happened. Friday evening at Falzone Field someone noticed a great horned owl stuck in a soccer net and called police. Waltham Animal Control Officer Coalition Deanna Gualtieri set to work cutting the net away from a very tangled owl with the aid of a Waltham Police officer.

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The owl was most likely chasing some prey when it was stuck in the net, said Gualtieri, who is also ‎Co-Founder at North East Wildlife Animal Rehabilitation on social media later.

"It is a good reminder that nets, certain hammocks and other various rope items should be taken down when not in use," Animal Control posted to Facebook.

Often it's not so much the net itself as the stress, strangulation, or other injuries a panicked animal - such as a owl or even a deer - sustains attempting to escape is what can lead to death.

"Luckily, this beauty was discovered in time, and though pretty thoroughly entangled, was not injured and able to be immediately released once free from the net," animal control said in a Facebook post.

Check out the YouTube video of the rescue, the clicking you will hear is the owl warning and threatening the rescuers as it clicks its beak. You can see Gualtieri using gloves and protecting herself from the bird's talons and Officer Paul Tracey helping off camera.

Animal control was not immediately available for comment

Images via YouTube screen shot.