There’s nothing more selfless than the work that people do at rescue centers to help heal injured animals, some of which are so sick that they require constant 24-hour care. So we’re not surprised to come across a story of an owl who was so grateful to be saved that she formed a close bond with the man who essentially saved her life when she was at death’s door.
These sweet photos below show just how close the pair have become, and it leaves us wishing that we could have an owl for a best friend!
GiGi, a great horned owl, was minutes away from death when she arrived at Wild at Heart Rescue in Mississippi. The giant bird of prey was suffering from severe head trauma, possibly after being hit by a car. Things were looking uncertain for her. She was dangerously underweight and didn’t want to eat or drink.
“This bird was one of the most critical we have ever taken care of,” Missy Dubuisson, the rescue’s founder, said. “The fact that this bird has lived is beyond comprehension.”
Gigi was also a totally new kind of patient for the team to treat due to her being humongous in size, with Missy commenting, “It’s one of the biggest birds of prey I’ve ever seen.”
But the team was up for the challenge.
The rescue team shared a video of GiGi’s miraculous recovery onto their Facebook page, and Missy gave credit to a certain man who she nicknamed the “birds of prey whisperer,” also known as Douglas “Doug” Pojeky.
Doug has a special knack for looking after our feathered friends, and that’s obvious to see in the sheer number of birds he has managed to help over the years.
“In all my years of working with birds of prey, I have never seen someone with such a bond with these magnificent birds,” Missy explained. “I don’t think there’s anybody that can do what Doug does with these birds of prey. He’s got a knack”
In the video, Missy can be heard calling for Doug to come and feed GiGi. It seems to be a job that only Doug is trusted to do, and amazingly he manages to keep the wild bird calm as he takes her out of her cage and puts her gently onto the table.
She seems a little reluctant, but with Doug’s gentle persuasion GiGi begins to eat and drink.
“I tell y’all, it is truly amazing,” Missy says. “We watch them come in literally dead and within 24 hours they’re turned around.”
In time, GiGi began to trust Doug and the bond between the pair grew stronger.
As the bird began to come to terms with the fact that Doug had saved her life, she became more affectionate toward him. She’d rest her head up against his or lean up against his shoulder with her feathers outstretched as if she was hugging him.
“They absolutely know him and trust him.” Missy said. “It’s the trust that you see in her face.”
What an adorable bond this pair has! We’re so grateful for the work that rescue teams do to save all of these beautiful animals. Watch the full video below.
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