OCCRA ::: On-Call Community Rescue for Animals

OCCRA ::: On-Call Community Rescue for Animals "Safe Rides for Second Chances"
Volunteer based capture and transport of injured wildlife in the North Willamette Watershed District to licensed facilities.

With goals to expand to all corners of Oregon.

It’s been unexpectedly busy for OCCRA the last few weeks — we’ve had eight callouts in just three days. From barred owls...
11/17/2025

It’s been unexpectedly busy for OCCRA the last few weeks — we’ve had eight callouts in just three days. From barred owls hit by cars, to grounded red-tailed hawks, a squirrel on a hospital campus, and even a reported “bald eagle” that turned out to be another red tail… it’s been nonstop.

As a reminder, OCCRA covers six counties for good Samaritans who find injured wildlife but have no safe way to transport. We’re a fully volunteer team, all working full-time jobs, paying for our own gas, and responding when we can. There are no shifts — sometimes it’s six calls a day, sometimes it’s one — and volunteers jump in when they’re able. We’ve now surpassed 450+ rescues in just the last few years.

The BIRD ALLIANCE of Oregon has taken in 5,000+ patients this year, and they rely heavily on the public to transport. There is no government-funded wildlife transport service in Oregon — which is why groups like OCCRA exist, and why good Samaritans listening to rehab triage advice is so important.

If you’ve ever thought about volunteering or donating, this is your sign. Donations go directly to volunteer equipment, insurance, and basic admin — we have no paid staff, just people who care enough to cancel their own plans to help an animal.

And honestly… we really need a social media manager. If that’s you, please reach out. ❤️🦉🦅🐿️

11/13/2025

🦅 RED-TAILED HAWK RESCUE — CANBY, OR
OCCRA RESCUE #432

Last week, same day as our great blue heron rescue, a grounded Red-tailed Hawk was spotted after what appears to have been a mid-air hawk vs. hawk fight. At some point, things went sideways and this raptor ended up injured enough that it remained grounded for several hours — definitely not normal behavior for a red tail.

The resident did the right thing by calling for help and gently placing a recycling bin over the patient to keep them contained and safe, but they were not comfortable touching or transporting the hawk (which we completely understand).

Volunteer Virginia responded, safely packaged the patient, and met up with Volunteer A for a mid-way hand-off. Volunteer A completed the long transport to DoveLewis so this raptor could get the urgent care they needed.

We are so grateful the resident made the call — and even more grateful for this team. Sometimes a volunteer only has an hour to spare, and having a second volunteer available to finish transport is absolutely clutch.

Wishing this red tail the very best in recovery.
Teamwork saves lives, every single day. 🫶🦅

A few days ago, a Good Samaritan found this injured American Barn Owl. While everyone was unsure of the cause of the inj...
11/10/2025

A few days ago, a Good Samaritan found this injured American Barn Owl. While everyone was unsure of the cause of the injury, this caller contacted and asked for assistance. They secured the owl in a kennel with blankets to keep it safe while they waited for OCCRA to respond for transport!

Thank you to our super star Annette for giving this American Barn Owl a ride to 🦉✨

Every person who goes out of their way to help an injured animal can make a difference, to our environment, the community and the animal. We appreciate our community and our volunteers for their commitment to helping our wild friends 💖

🚨 WANT TO SUPPORT OCCRA? 🚨
Your help saves wildlife! 💚 Every donation goes directly to outfitting, training, and rescuing animals in need.
🦉 Best way to give? Donate through our website (link in bio)! ✅ Venmo & PayPal take fees, so donating directly helps even more.

Other ways to support:
💸 Venmo: [ (please make sure you confirm it is our account, last 4 digits of phone number are 3450)]
💰 PayPal: [OCCRA PayPal Link in bio]
📦 Amazon Wishlist: [Wishlist Link in bio]
✉️ Mail a check: [PO BOX 1291 - Oregon City, OR 97045]

Every dollar makes a difference! Thank you for being a wildlife hero! 🙌💚

💙 🌿 💚 🙌 🌱 💪 🌍 📣 🦉 🦊 🦡 🦆 🐍 🦅
📍 🏥 🦜 🐾 🦢

11/10/2025

Great Blue Heron Rescue – Oregon City

Today, five OCCRA volunteers — Rene Pizzo, Kari Jacobs, Tove, Ray Jacobs and Virginia Borden — responded to Oregon City for an injured Great Blue Heron with an obvious wing injury. The residents were able to safely keep an eye on the bird but didn’t feel comfortable handling it themselves — and we completely understand!

On scene, the patient was alert and did their best to evade capture (always a good sign for overall strength). Great Blue Herons are a unique and challenging species to handle, so before packaging up we took a few moments to demonstrate proper head and body support for volunteers in real time.

As we often remind our team, the best training happens in the field. Watching videos is valuable, but nothing replaces hands-on experience with a living patient. These moments build confidence, skills, and teamwork.

The heron was safely transported to the where we wish them the very best of luck in recovery.

🦩 Thank you to our volunteers for responding so quickly and with such care — every rescue is a learning opportunity and a testament to our community’s compassion

🚨Red-tailed Hawk Rescue — West Linn🚨 OCCRA RESCUE  #429 Kari Jacobs Ray JacobsA few nights ago, we received a report fro...
11/07/2025

🚨Red-tailed Hawk Rescue — West Linn🚨
OCCRA RESCUE #429 Kari Jacobs Ray Jacobs

A few nights ago, we received a report from a good Samaritan who spotted a Red-tailed Hawk down in Willamette Park, West Linn. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to stay on scene, so there was no confirmation that the hawk was still there when the call came through.

We get countless calls like this — and sometimes our volunteers drive more than an hour to find the bird has already flown off or disappeared. That’s one reason we have built-in requirements for our callouts. Still, we always share these alerts internally because we have amazing volunteers who don’t mind taking the chance if it means helping a life in need.

Volunteer power couple Kari and Ray headed out into the dark with headlamps, and—sure enough—they found the hawk: standing, wings splayed, ready to fight. We don’t know what caused the injury, but they safely contained the patient and met Menon, who finished the transport to Dove Lewis that night.

We’re wishing this raptor a full recovery and are so proud of our volunteers for filling the exact gap OCCRA was designed to fill: stepping in when no one else can, especially after hours.

Thank you for helping us keep this free, life-saving service running. ❤️🦅

Oregon City | American Crow Rescue 🖤 OCCRA RESCUE  #429Sometimes a call comes in for a patient whose story we’ll never f...
11/02/2025

Oregon City | American Crow Rescue 🖤 OCCRA RESCUE #429

Sometimes a call comes in for a patient whose story we’ll never fully know — like this American Crow, found in someone’s yard in a sternal position with wings splayed. Whatever happened, it was clear this bird needed help.

After exhausting their list of friends and neighbors who might be able to transport the patient, the reporting party was connected with us through our partners at , who take wildlife emergency calls every single day of the year from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Volunteer Scotty responded, safely contained the crow, and transported them to the Wildlife Care Center for care. 💚

We’re so grateful for our partners like Bird Alliance, and for compassionate community members who take the time to call for help when they see an animal in distress.

If you find injured or orphaned wildlife during business hours, always start by calling Bird Alliance of Oregon’s Wildlife Care Center — their team handles hundreds of calls each week and can dispatch OCCRA when needed. After hours, you can still reach OCCRA directly, though coverage depends on our volunteer availability.

We wish this crow a safe recovery and hope they’re back to cawing from the treetops soon. 🖤

11/02/2025

🦉 BARRED OWL RESCUE — ROADWAY INCIDENT, HALLOWEEN WEEK 🎃

Even during her busy dump truck route, one compassionate driver made time to save a life. ❤️

While on her rounds, she spotted a barred owl on the side of the road — likely struck by a vehicle. She had actually called us before for another injured animal and had OCCRA on speed dial. This time, she called right away and safely contained the owl in the only box she had available — proving that when it comes to helping wildlife, it doesn’t have to be fancy, it just has to be safe.

Volunteer Scotty coordinated with her to transfer the patient, and the owl was transported directly to the for evaluation and care.

We’re grateful for compassionate community members like her, who take the time to help even in the middle of a workday — and for volunteers like Scotty, who make sure each patient gets the help they need.

It’s been a very busy week for rescues — and a good reminder that Halloween isn’t just a time to watch out for trick-or-treaters on the road. Raptors like owls and hawks often swoop low for prey and can be injured by passing cars. Please keep your eyes open for wildlife along your routes, especially at night.

🦉💛 Thank you to everyone who helps make a difference, one call at a time.

11/02/2025

🦅 RED-TAILED HAWK RESCUE — WILSONVILLE, OR
OCCRA RESCUE #427

A few days ago, we were called to assist a red-tailed hawk who had likely been struck by a vehicle in Wilsonville. The bird had an obvious leg injury and was unable to fly.

The residents did exactly the right thing — they called the , who then contacted OCCRA for field assistance, as the hawk could not be safely captured or transported by the Good Samaritans.

Volunteer Scotty responded quickly, safely contained the patient, and transported them to Bird Alliance of Oregon’s , where the hawk is now receiving care and a second chance at recovery.

We’re so grateful for the teamwork between residents, Bird Alliance, and our volunteers that make rescues like this possible. 🦅❤️

Please remember to slow down and watch for wildlife near roadways — raptors often hunt from low perches along highways and can be injured by passing vehicles.

🚨 WANT TO SUPPORT OCCRA? 🚨
Your help saves wildlife! 💚 Every donation goes directly to outfitting, training, and rescuing animals in need.
🦉 Best way to give? Donate through our website (link in bio)! ✅ Venmo & PayPal take fees, so donating directly helps even more.

Other ways to support:
💸 Venmo: [ (please make sure you confirm it is our account, last 4 digits of phone number are 3450)]
💰 PayPal: [OCCRA PayPal Link in bio]
📦 Amazon Wishlist: [Wishlist Link in bio]
✉️ Mail a check: [PO BOX 1291 - Oregon City, OR 97045]

Every dollar makes a difference! Thank you for being a wildlife hero! 🙌💚

💙 🌿 💚 🙌 🌱 💪 🌍 📣 🦉 🦊 🦡 🦆 🐍 🦅
📍 🏥 🦜 🐾 🦢

11/02/2025

🦆 WHY WE CANNOT HANDLE DUCKS OR GEESE (WATERFOWL)

Due to ongoing HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) restrictions set by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, OCCRA is not permitted to handle or transport ducks, geese, or other waterfowl at this time.

This virus is highly contagious and poses a serious threat to both wildlife and domestic birds. While we know it’s incredibly hard to see an animal suffering, there is no treatment for HPAI, and ODFW generally advises the public not to touch or move sick or deceased waterfowl.

If you do come across a sick or injured duck or goose and plan to transport it, please call DoveLewis Animal Emergency Hospital ahead of time to confirm whether they are currently accepting waterfowl for humane euthanasia. Availability can change based on biosecurity conditions.

We understand how heartbreaking this is. 💔
Our team loves all animals deeply, and these restrictions exist to protect both wildlife and the people who care for them. Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we continue to navigate this challenging reality.

11/02/2025

🎃 THE GREAT PUMPKIN DRIVE! 🎃 Follow Feasts For Beasts for details!

We’re excited to share that the annual Pumpkin Drive is now being run by our friends at Feasts for Beasts! 🧡

Please follow them on Instagram and Facebook for details on how to donate your leftover pumpkins and support your local farm animal sanctuaries. 🐷🐐🐮

OCCRA remains focused on wildlife rescue only, and with our busy call volume we’re so grateful this amazing organization has taken the reins to continue this tradition.

👉 Follow to find drop-off locations and help feed some very happy farm friends this fall!

11/01/2025

A Good Samaritan in our community noticed a Great Blue Heron hanging around her yard, seemingly unable to fly and unable to get out of her yard. This usually powerful wading bird appeared emaciated and weak, taking to sitting on her roof and fence. 😥Containing a large bird, like this heron, alone and without experience could be dangerous - so she called OCCRA to help!

Volunteers Kari and Manon headed out to help. Although they were unable to get a video of the rescue (getting a heron off a fence like this), they shared this video where we can see how poorly this bird was doing. 💔

Thankfully, this beautiful heron is now at where we all are hoping for a speedy recovery ❤️🕊️

🚨 WANT TO SUPPORT OCCRA? 🚨
Your help saves wildlife! 💚 Every donation goes directly to outfitting, training, and rescuing animals in need.
🦉 Best way to give? Donate through our website (link in bio)! ✅ Venmo & PayPal take fees, so donating directly helps even more.

Other ways to support:
💸 Venmo: [ (please make sure you confirm it is our account, last 4 digits of phone number are 3450)]
💰 PayPal: [OCCRA PayPal Link in bio]
📦 Amazon Wishlist: [Wishlist Link in bio]
✉️ Mail a check: [PO BOX 1291 - Oregon City, OR 97045]

Every dollar makes a difference! Thank you for being a wildlife hero! 🙌💚

💙 🌿 💚 🙌 🌱 💪 🌍 📣 🦉 🦊 🦡 🦆 🐍 🦅
📍 🏥 🦜 🐾 🦢

Address

Po Box 1291
Oregon City, OR
97045

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