This incredible slow-motion video shows a bald eagle taking to the air again after it suffered a broken wing when it was shot by hunters and saved by a kindhearted Canadian veterinarian.
Dr. Cliff Andrew Redford, 48, of Toronto, said the bird of prey was accidentally shot while the hunters were firing at ducks.
The experienced vet and animal rights advocate said: “The bald eagle was shot by hunters accidentally. They were shooting at ducks when, according to them, the eagle swooped in and was struck.
“She crashed to the ground where she likely broke her humerus upon impact. The hunters collected her and brought her to the wildlife rescue center I volunteer at. It’s called Shades of Hope Wildlife rehab. They’re located one hour north of Toronto in a town called Pefferlaw.
“The surgery took 90 minutes and she needed eight weeks before we could remove all the pins, another two months of physiotherapy, and then two months flight training.”
The footage shows Dr. Redford caring for the injured bird and helping it with its flight training.
He told Zenger News: “I’ve always loved animals and been fascinated with their physiology and health. I was the kid who would constantly bring home injured or orphaned animals and would refuse to kill spiders, instead of picking them up and carrying them outside. Makes sense as I am also a vegetarian.”
Dr. Redford, the owner of Wellington Veterinary Hospital, added: “I’ve been a vet since 1998, half of my life. I volunteer one day every week at a wildlife rehab clinic, plus I volunteer around the world for 60 days per year. So I rescue and treat around 1,000 animals per year.”
He also told Zenger News about some of his volunteer trips around the world, stating: “India was definitely my favorite. My daughter Emily and I went there during the fall of 2019 and worked with the People for Animals in Hyderabad.
“The people in India are so kind and the culture is so deep. We would jump in an animal ambulance every morning and go to treat stray animals, right there on the street. The serious cases would return to the shelter with us. On top of dogs and cats, I did surgery on a Rhesus Monkey, examined and gave physiotherapy to a giant fruit bat, treated birds and a few bunnies.”
“Emily joined me in Poland late March, right at the Poland-Ukraine border. We worked with a few rescue centers that had received hundreds of cats and dogs from Ukraine. They were hurt, displaced, some suffering from PTSD. And we spent a day in Ukraine, near the city of Lviv. It was a hard trip, very emotional at times, but also very rewarding.
Dr. Redford added: “I’ve been training in many martial arts for many years but my one true love is judo. I competed at the national level and received my Shodan (1st degree black belt) a few years ago. I also enjoy surfing in the icy waters of Lake Ontario.”
