Owls at The Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre will continue to eat fresh mice in the coming months, thanks to a generous donation from the Moose Jaw Dog Club.
The canine organization presented a cheque for $1,000 to the centre on May 3, a result of a raffle it held during its April agility trials at the Golden Mile Arena.
The Moose Jaw Dog Club has existed for more than 20 years, originally starting as the Band City Kennel and Obedience Club.
This was the first time the dog club had donated to the interpretive centre, said member Allison Rain. The club often attempts to donate to a community agency or group, with past recipients including Free To Be Me Animal Sanctuary, the humane society, and Riverside Mission men’s shelter.
The canine group chose the owl centre because it practices at the nearby arena, while it likes to spread around the money because many community organizations need support, said member Carole Capell-Wile.
“We’re just happy to do it,” added Rain.
It’s wonderful to receive this donation, while it’s great that a community club is helping other local organizations, said bird handler Lori Johnson. The centre will use the money to buy food for the owls; bills usually come in at $1,500 every two months for thousands of squealing mice.
All the centre’s owls are doing well, but the species itself is still considered endangered in Canada, with roughly 500 to 800 pairs still living in the wild, she continued. Advocates continue to work to protect the avians.
The centre has 11 burrowing owls, with more males than females and few pairs, Johnson added. Moreover, all the birds are non-releasable, which means they will spend their entire lives in captivity.
The centre’s opening day is Saturday, May 20. For more information about that and the organization, visit www.skburrowingowl.ca.
