When 11-year-old aspiring veterinarian Skylar Capo came across a baby woodpecker about to be cat lunch, she sprang into action and saved it.
When she couldn't find the baby's mom, she took it home to take care of it ... that's when she (and the bird) ran into a danger far worse than the feline menace. They ran into (dun dun dun!!!) a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent:
"She was just going to take care of it for a day or two, make sure it was safe and uninjured, and then she was going to let it go," said Capo.
But on the drive home, the Capo family stopped at a Lowes in Fredericksburg and they brought the bird inside because of the heat. That's when they were confronted by a fellow shopper who said she worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [...]
... roughly two weeks later, that same woman from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service showed up at Capo's front door. This time, Capo says the woman was accompanied by a state trooper. Capo refused to accept a citation, but was later mailed a notice to appear in U.S. District Court for unlawfully taking a migratory bird. She's also been slapped with a $535 fine.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service later apologized and rescinded the fine, blaming bad press, er ... "clerical error."
http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/161065/158/Woodpecker-Saving-Daughter-Costs-Mom-500
Exactly, God forbid we live in a free country and can use our property as we see fit, including the animals that happen to decide to visit from time to time. Whether the bird gets harmed or not, it should be no business of the government.
If you want to protect the animals, I suggest proposing adding a line or two to the Constitution of the United States of America to give that power to the federal government. Then let the people decide if that is one of the powers they are willing to cede to the government. As it is now, it is just stolen freedom.
Instead of being an asshat, the woman should've offered to help and called in some sort of rescue wildlife rahabber (as Manticore said) to take the bird.
Could've been a great oppurtunity to give this little girl more reason to want to be a vet by letting her volunteer at wherever they took the bird (if it was close that is).
But oh no... can't do that!... sigh