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Shot Out of the Sky

In late March 2008 a bald eagle was shot with a shot gun on Bainbridge Island.  Concerned neighbors fo und the eagle and called us right away.  We rushed to the scene and struggled to stabilize the eagle.  Amazingly, she survived. 

As she recuperated, we heard reports that her mate was flying near their nest tree, looking confused by the loss of his companion.  Meanwhile, the injured eagle improved, but she also showed some signs of a possible spinal injury.  And she never regained her ability to vocalize.

This case is not yet closed.  The eagle is still with us, improving day by day.  Still, it's unclear if she'll ever be well enough to hunt, mate, and survive on her own.  At the moment her treatment is unconventional, but shows signs of working -- she is receiving free acupuncture therapy from local veterinarian Christine Susumi of Winslow Animal Clinic.

Read more about bald eagles.