Snowy Owl’s Rescue From Brewery Chimney Prompts PETA Appeal: Cap the Stack!

PETA Appeals to Titletown Brewing Co. to Protect Future Birds From Being Trapped

For Immediate Release:
November 5, 2015

Contact:
Catie Cryar 202-483-7382

The recent rescue of a snowy owl who had fallen into the iconic smokestack at Green Bay’s Titletown Brewing Co. has prompted PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—to send a letter to the brewery this morning with a simple request: Please place a protective cap on all of the brewery’s smokestacks.

“This snowy owl was lucky, but we often hear about birds, raccoons, and other animals who fall down into chimneys and can’t get out, only to die a slow death from dehydration and starvation,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “Titletown has already shown concern for wildlife by rescuing this owl and creating a special-edition beer in the bird’s honor, and PETA hopes it will also jump to install the smokestack caps or netting necessary to protect all wildlife. If it does, it will encourage everyone from factory owners to home owners to save wildlife by doing the same.”

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA’s letter to Titletown Brewing Co. Owner Brent Weycker follows.

November 5, 2015

Brent Weycker, Owner
Titletown Brewing Co.

Dear Mr. Weycker,

I’m writing to you on behalf of PETA and our more than 3 million members and supporters worldwide, including thousands across Wisconsin, in response to a situation in which a snowy owl was recently trapped in, and subsequently rescued from, a smokestack at Titletown Brewing Company. We’ve dealt with similar cases, some with very unhappy endings, and so respectfully urge you to prevent any more animals from being harmed by capping all your smokestacks.

Every year, snowy owls, bluebirds, hawks, and other animals fly, fall, or drop into smokestacks and chimneys and then find that they’re hopelessly trapped, unable to fly out of such a limited, vertical space. They come to a bad end, slowly dying of starvation or dehydration. Capping or placing screens over smokestack openings prevents these deaths. Of course, in addition to the panic and misery for the birds and other animals so trapped, if wildlife is undeterred from smokestacks and chimneys, damage can be caused to the building. By making its property less attractive to wildlife, Titletown stands to save money on pest control and building repairs as well.

We’re delighted to hear that Titletown will be crafting a new beer and donating fifty cents per pint to wildlife rehabilitation in honor of the rescued snowy owl. That’s a lovely gesture.

Thank you for your consideration. May we please hear from you soon?

Sincerely,

Ingrid E. Newkirk
President