March 27 (UPI) -- A chimney sweep who visited a New Hampshire home to remove an animal from the chimney said he was surprised to discover the trespassing critter was an owl.
Kyle Ware of A Merrie Sweepe Chimney Service said he was called out to an Exeter home by a customer who reported an unidentified animal had been in their chimney for at least a couple of days.
Ware said he was shocked when he arrived and identified the creature.
"I was like, holy crap, there's an owl in here," Ware told WMUR-TV.
A Merrie Sweepe Chimney Service shared video of the rescue on Facebook.
"It bit me quite a bit, when it was inside of the fireplace," Ware said. "But once I got it out and I think it realized I was trying to help it, it calmed right down."
Ware said he took the owl outside, but it wasn't able to fly. He said the homeowner took the owl to a local wildlife center for rehabilitation.
Ware said he has removed squirrels and raccoons from chimneys before, but this was his first encounter with an owl.
Ohio's Cincinnati Animal Care detailed a similar case last week when officials were called to a home to investigate the cause of high carbon monoxide levels inside the house. The cause turned out to be an owl stuck in the chimney. It was rescued and released by Hamilton County Dog Wardens.