The owl

[rabs]

Offbeat story from Colombia.

There was a professional soccer game yesterday (Sunday) between the teams from Barranquilla and Pereira.

An owl that was the field was struck by the ball as a Pereira defender was trying to clear the ball from near his goal.

The ball was recovered by the Barranquilla team after it hit the owl, but the ref halted play. So a Pereira player walked over to the owl, lying on the pitch, and gave it a big kick.

The Barranquilla fans went wild with anger, because the owl lives in the roof of the stadium and is considered a good-luck mascot for the team.

The Pereira player was jeered, objects were thrown at him, and he could be facing a fine and up to 45 days in jail on charges of cruelty to an animal. The player, from Panama, apologized and said he was only trying to help the owl to take flight. One of the owl's legs was broken and a vet in the crowd improvised a splint.

Watch closely at the beginning of the video, when the ball hits the owl on the field.

http://www.elespectador.com/deportes/futbolcolombiano/articulo-253830-abren-proceso-de-responsabilidad-jugador-pateo-una-lechuz

[Judi Lynn]

1. I saw the headline earlier, but couldn't bring myself to read the article.

I'm glad the critter wasn't killed, but I sure hope something can be done to alleviate the pain this idiot has inflicted upon it. It's helpful there was a man there who knew how to help the owl's leg.

I can't bear to see the video, but I am glad your article says the owl survived that stupid, and ugly act by a very self-centered, ugly person.

Wow.

Hope that owl will bounce back, become healthy again, just as it was before someone decided to harm it.

[Wilms]

2. How unwise. n/t

[rabs]

3. The owl died this morning

Colombian media going bonkers.

Same media that turned a blind eye to tens of thousands of people slaughtered during the uribe years by the narco-paramilitaries.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Completely schiziod, isn't it? Chainsaws used on living people, machetes, no problem.

Hard to fathom.

The image of a big thing simply harming a helpless small thing for the hell of it, however, still, no matter what the smaller, helpless thing is, is dead wrong.

I hope the little critter was somehow made more comfortable and less afraid after it was wrecked.

That didn't happen in the case of those over 130,000 tortured and murdered innocent people they estimate the paras have slaughtered, however.

[CJvR]

4. He kicked my speckled Jim!!!

The Flanders pigeon murderer have emigrated to Colombia?

[Capitalocracy]

6. Saw this on the TV. (in Argentina) Couldn't believe it.

Why the hell would you do that? He wanted to help it take flight? Really?

I don't know what the hell is wrong with this guy. I mean, your first reaction when you see an animal on the ground is to kick it?