Baby Squirrel, Feisty Bird Rescued by Clearwater Police

The Clearwater Police Department doesn’t just protect and serve people. It extends that courtesy to furry and feathered critters, too.

Officers proved that point over the last few days when they pulled off not one, but two successful animal rescues.

The first took place when Officer Christian Zarra, a member of the marine unit, received a call about a bird that had been struck by a car on the Memorial Causeway on Halloween.

When Zarra went out to the causeway, he had no trouble spotting the bird. Bringing the creature in for medical care was another story.

“I had to chase him through the mud and the mangroves,” he said. “What a mess.”

Laser-focused on the goal of saving a life, Zarra was able to capture the bird and take it to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium for help.

At last report, Zarra said the bird had been transferred to another facility where vet staff says it suffered a broken leg, but should be fine.

When asked why he’d go through so much trouble to save a bird, Zarra said it’s not just part of the job, it’s an aspect he enjoys.

“It’s the little things that keep you going,” he said.

Zarra’s feathered encounter isn’t the only animal rescue pulled off by Clearwater officers in the last few days. On Monday morning, police spotted a tiny baby squirrel outside of headquarters. Rather than leave it to nature’s devices, they scooped it up, and “put it in a box with a comfy little blanket to keep warm.”

A wildlife rescuer happily took custody of the little critter, the department reported on its Facebook page.

Photo Credit: Officer Christian Zarra, left, and the baby squirrel. Photos courtesy of the Clearwater Police Department

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