I.U.P.A. members serve all over the United States and protect people, places, and sometimes even animals. I.U.P.A. Local Connecticut Police and Fire Union, #74 Member Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police Officer Anthony Dota has a habit of rescuing hawks.
In mid-November of 2023, Officer Anthony Dota recued a red-tailed hawk in Middlefield who had presumably been struck by a truck and broken her hand. He delivered her to APCH (A Place Called Hope), a rehabilitation center for wildlife, where they reattached her hand and she made a full recovery. Officer Anthony Dota had the pleasure of releasing her back into her territory to live her life. I.U.P.A. Local Connecticut Police and Fire Union, #74 posted an article about his lifesaving actions on their website here.
A Place Called Hope shared the video here of Officer Anthony Dota releasing the hawk back into her home along with the post, “OFF she goes! Middlefield Red tailed hawk goes back to freedom. Full circle, seen here is her rescuer, Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police Officer Dota returning her to her territorial range. Together, we are preserving our wildlife for the future. Enjoy.”
That is not the first hawk Officer Anthony Dota saved, however. He also saved a red-tailed hawk the year prior that was in a crash on I-95. He stopped traffic to save the hawk and delivered it to APCH where they report that this is the number one conflict injury they admit at their rescue in Killingsworth. The hawk was rehabilitated and released into the wild. You can see that release and the news story here on the I.U.P.A. Local Connecticut Police and Fire Union, #74 website. Information about APCH can be found on their website and on their Facebook page.
Each week, the I.U.P.A. Briefing Room features a photo that exemplifies the valuable part of the community that our Law Enforcement Officers all across the U.S. are and their positive impact as well as their dedication, service, and sacrifice.
Submit your photos today to be considered for the photo of the week next week to alinaj@iupa.org.
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