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Great horned owl rescued from soccer net at Airdrie school

An owl has students, staff and police in Airdrie, Alta., to thank for a quick rescue from a soccer net on Monday morning.

Police say the bird was 'quite unhappy with its current predicament' but is expected to recover

RCMP officers responded to an unusual call on Monday, assisting students and staff at the Ralph McCall School in rescuing an owl caught in a soccer net. (Airdrie RCMP)

An owl has students, staff and police in Airdrie, Alta., to thank for a quick rescue from a soccer net on Monday morning.

Around 7:45 am, police were flagged down to assist with a situation on the school grounds at Ralph McCall School, where students and staff found a great horned owl trapped in the netting of a soccer goal.

The owl was conscious and breathing but was "quite unhappy with its current predicament," said RCMP in a release.

Airdrie RCMP helped rescue a great horned owl in Airdrie this morning. The bird got trapped in a soccer net at Ralph McCall school. (Submitted by Carys and Elora Jessup)

Jennifer Landels, a former wildlife conservation volunteer and Airdrie resident who has a child in the school, helped police calm the owl and remove it from the netting.

Police say the owl was then taken to a veterinarian, and the bird is expected to make a full recovery.

The Airdrie RCMP are extending their thanks to the students and staff at the school, as well as Landels, for their quick action and help in rescuing the owl.