Taking owls under their wing
Barbara Walker, director of Moccasin Lake Raptor Sanctuary, and Fairl Thomas, board secretary of Birds In Helping Hands, presented live owl ambassadors LuLu, a great horned owl, and Sir Winston Churchowl, a barred owl, at the City Commission meeting May 2 to help raise awareness and showcase the animals that the city is committed to help save. The City Commission adopted a resolution in opposition to the sale, purchase, and use of anticoagulant rodenticides in Safety Harbor. Since March, four owls have died in Phillippe Park because of rat poison. From left are Commissioner Andy Steingold, Walker (with Winston), Vice Mayor Nancy Besore, Mayor Joe Ayoub, Thomas (with Lulu), Commissioner Cliff Merz, and Commissioner Carlos Diaz. Recent reports of dead owls in Hammock Park are under investigation by the city of Dunedin, which says it does not use rodenticides inside or outside of traps.Â
